Of Presumptions and Absentness
by Beauty Full
Summary: Lily and James have been friends since age eight because of their ridiculously spontaneous parents. They say they are best friends, but are beginning to realize they might be...something more.
1. Prologue

A/n: hello all!!!! It's me, Beauty Full:):) I've been dying to write an L/J fic for forever, so I'm going to write one now that I can't find the notebook with the HP fanatics in it…Anyway this is just the prologue and I have to warn you all that this story has just no plot form at all…whatever happens will happen on the spur of the moment, so please enjoy~

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize from J.K. Rowlings books I obviously didn't make up…

****Prologue****

****

****

            A black, stretch limousine pulled up to an extremely big house, or manor, or whatever you want to call it, all you really need to know is that it was big. Out of the limo stepped two girls. 

One had slightly curly red-orange hair, and couldn't have been over eleven years of age. It looked as if she had been crying by the streak marks on her girlishly pretty face, the sparkling of her excruciatingly green eyes, and the disarray of her attire. 

The other girl had straight blond hair that was rather thin, and blue-green eyes that gave you the impression that she didn't miss a beat. She looked to be a few years older than the tear-stained girl. Her face held what almost looked like sophistication, but you had to look a bit farther to see the beauty in her appearance. She seemed to be trying to comfort the distressed young girl as they walked toward the large edifice.

            Before they had finished walking up the steps to the front door, it was opened by a young boy who appeared to be the same age as the crying girl. He seemed to hesitate before he went and gave her a hug.

            "I'm sorry, Lily," he said.

            "It's not your fault, James," she whispered.

            "Hello, Petunia," the boy named James said as he led them into the manor that was obviously his home.

            "Hi, James, how's your summer been so far?" the older girl asked as they walked through the spacious hall without a real intention as to where they were going.

            "Completely boring, I can't wait till I start Hogwarts, it's too bad you two won't be there with me," James said excitedly, yet wistfully at the same time.

            "Do you have to remind me?" the little girl called Lily said sourly, "As if the day isn't bad enough already, now I have to remember that you won't be here next year whenever they leave. It'll just be me and Petunia, no offense Petunia, but James does have a way of making things…exciting."

            "I know what you mean," Petunia said.

            "Guess what!" James said trying to get the conversation off the subject of leaving.

            "What?" Lily asked.

            "There's a huge cake in the dining room just for us," he said. Petunia smiled.

            Lily's eyes lighted up just a bit, "Chocolate and strawberry?" she asked.

            "Of course!" he replied.

            "Yay, the day is not a complete failure," she said smiling for the first time that morning.

            "I say, whoever gets there first gets the best piece," Petunia said.

            "You're on," Lily and James answered together.

            While they eat the exquisitely done cake in the dining room, it would probably be a good time to freeze and inform the reader exactly of the situation.

            James Potter, Lily Evans, and Petunia Evans had all met when Lily and James were eight and Petunia was eleven. Their parents had met each other on a cruise the week before and they decided it would be a wonderful idea for their children to meet.

            The reason? The Potters and the Evans had a little problem of going on spontaneous trips way too many times, and way too…spontaneously. They might wake up in the middle of the night and say, "I think we should go to the Bahamas," and off they went the same night leaving a note saying where they'd gone for their children.

            When the four adults had met on the cruise they had found many things in common while they chatted. That's when they decided to come on all their spontaneous trips together, and let their children stay at home while they did.

            I know the reader must be thinking something like, 'what kind of parents are those', and, 'why would parents with children do that?'

            Well, it most likely had to do with their childhood. Their parents were always there; hovering and waiting for them to do something wrong just to correct it. They perhaps went on these little trips so that they didn't turn into their parents. They knew how much they hated their parents for that, and they didn't want their children to hate them. However, by doing the exact opposite of what their parents did they rather had an opposite affect on their children.

            James, Lily, and Petunia had gotten used to their parents' trips, but today they had done what the three kids had never thought they would do. It was Lily's birthday and her parents were in Portugal. It had been a terrible blow to both the girls when they had gotten up that morning and found a little note they knew so well. James had felt awful too, when he found the note his parents had left for him. They all three knew it was going to be a long day.

            Coming back to the three children in the dining room, we'll find they had almost finished half of a huge cake that was sitting near one end of the table.

            "I'm full," Lily said as she lazily slid down in her seat.

            "I think I'm going to through up," Petunia commented.

            "I think I'll have some more," James said.

            "Good Lord, does your stomach never end, James?" Lily asked slowly sitting herself into a regular sitting position.

            "Not that I know of," he said. It was while he was cutting another piece of cake and Petunia was running to the bathroom to throw-up her cake that an owl flew through the window. In its claws it held a piece of parchment, and as it swooped down it landed directly in front of Lily.

            Now Lily, knowing that James was a wizard and that wizards receive mail by owling each other, she was not at all shocked by the owl itself. She was more shocked by the fact that it had landed in front of her and that it held an envelope that was addressed directly to.

            "Uh…James, you didn't tell your friend Sirius or whatever his name is I would be over here today, or anything, did you?" Lily asked.

            "Noooo…why?" he asked hastily eating his cake.

            "Because, I've just gotten a letter…by owl."

A/n: Well?? I know really short, but it is, after all, a prologue, and I promise (more like hope) the rest of the chapters will be longer. Although I can't say anything about updates because I'm so busy during the week…we'll just have to see how that goes. Anyway, please review and tell me what ya think~

Beauty Full


	2. Italy, Swimming, Pizza, and Truth or Dar...

            A/n: Hello again! Hope ya enjoy this chapter, I know it's kinda short, but I thought it should end where it does. Anyway, reviews are welcome:) Oh yeah, I don't have a beta reader or anything (I've been trying to get my friends to do it, but…) so if there are typos or grammatical mistakes, sorry, you'll just have to excuse it

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter; actually I only own the plot, and that isn't even completely, uh… developed.

Fifteen year-old Lily Evans groaned as the sunlight reached her closed eyes making them flutter open. She stretched and yawned a good deal before sitting up in her king-sized bed with its fluffy comforter and soft pillows. Then, ever so slowly, she got out of the warm bed, and, still wearing her pajamas, headed out of her room, down the back staircase, and into the kitchen.

            Petunia was already sitting at the counter, sipping coffee. She was looking at a small slip of paper that was lying in front of her.

            "Not again?" Lily half asked, half cried.

            "What else?" Petunia said handing Lily the letter to read for herself.

_Lily and Petunia,_

_            We're off to __Italy__. It seems like it's been ages since the last time we went. The Potters are coming with us, so you two can take the limo over to James's. We're not sure how long we'll be gone, but be expecting us in about a week or so,_

_Love,_

_Mom and Dad_

            "I'll go tell Mike it's off to the Potters," Petunia offered. Lily nodded.

            "Yeah, I'll go pack our bags."

!

            James was waiting at the front door when they got there.

            "They went to Italy the first week of the holidays!" he said as they approached the front door.

            "We know," Petunia said.

            "Really, I think our parents need therapy. Not only do they think it's ok to leave their kids by themselves for weeks at a time, they're also loosing their memory," Lily said disdainfully as they walked through the familiar entrance hall.

            "I'll meet you two in the game room," James said. Lily and Petunia nodded their assent as they walked up the large stairway to the rooms they knew so well.

            Lily and Petunia had had to stay at the Potters' manor so many times they even had their own bedrooms; bedrooms that were quite as good as the ones they had at their own manor. In fact, the Potters' manor was very much like their second home, as was the Evans' manor for James. How both families managed to be rich and not work is rather a tale, but to make two long stories short, Lily and Petunia's grandparents on both of their parents' side were more than wealthy, and the Potter name went way back as did their wealth. Anyway back to the story…

            After they had put away their things the two girls met up with James, as they had said, in the game room.

            "What shall we do today?" James asked, plopping himself into one of the chairs that were spread around the large basement-like area.

            "Let's watch a movie!" Lily said while she jumped onto the exceptionally comfy couch.

            "You always want to watch a movie," Petunia countered.

            "Is there anything wrong with that?" Lily asked from her rather odd position on the couch.

            "No, but I think I'm going to go outside," Petunia said looking at her sister as if she were saying 'Am I really related to you?' She then left the room with the pocket-sized notebook you would never find her without and a pen.

            "What does she write in that thing?" asked James.

            "I dunno, it's like her journal, and I, being such a caring and loving sister, have never read it," Lily said as she changed from one odd position to another.

            "I see."

            "So, what movie do you wanna watch?"

            "I don't care. Actually, I think we've watched all of them," James said.

            "Really? Well, damn, that takes all the fun out of watching movies…what am I ever going to do now?" she pondered, more to herself than to James.

            "I've got to write a letter," he answered.

            "To who?" Lily asked.

            "Does it matter? You're not writing a letter to them," James asked.

            "I was just asking…" replied Lily.

            "What are you doing on that couch anyway?"

            "I'm going to choose not to answer that question."

            "Aren't you going to do something?" he questioned.

            "I suppose I'll go see if I can find a book in your library," Lily said standing up and heading toward the well-known room.

            The Potter's library was huge, almost as big as the one at Hogwarts. The difference was you could find both wizarding and muggle books there. Lily had no trouble finding the book she wanted to read, _Watership Down_ by Richard Adams. It was her favorite; she had read it at least five times. Sitting down in an old, worn-out, leather chair, she began to read.

            Nearly ten minutes later she found she couldn't concentrate on her book, and so decided to go back to the game room where she assumed James was still at; she knew better than to disturb Petunia when she was writing.

            Humming as she entered, she was quite surprised to find him still writing his letter.

            "Must be some letter," she said. He jumped a little when she spoke.

            "Geez, Lily, don't do that," he said.

            "Will you tell me who you're writing to?" she asked, ignoring his plea.

            "Fine, I'm writing to Karen," he said absently.

            "Karen Meredith?" she asked without hiding her distaste. Karen Meredith was in the same year as Lily and James, but she was in Ravenclaw. Not that there's anything wrong with the house; however, there was something wrong with Karen Meredith. "You're writing to the girl who's slept with half of the guys in our year?"

            "If you really must know, then yes, it is Karen Meredith," he answered choosing to ignore her last comment, as it was pretty much true.

            "Why are you writing to her? Can she even read?" Lily asked curiously. Strangely, she began to get a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something like…jealousy?

            "Yes she can read," he said irritated, "and I'm writing to her to tell her that our relationship isn't working anymore."

            "You two were going out?" Lily asked confused, yet oddly relieved. James seemed to surprise her more and more, and they were supposed to be best friends.

            "Yes, for the last month of last term," James answered.

            "Oh, yeah, I remember seeing you with her a couple of times," she said, "And why are you breaking up with her?"

            "I have found she is a little too…much. I mean, I know I said I was going to try and find someone who was less shy than Alicia, but I think I just went from one extreme to the other," he said referring to the girl he had been dating before Karen. There wasn't anything wrong with her. In fact, she was really sweet, but, according to James, she wanted to take things way too slowly. _Guys…they are way overestimated…_

            "I really question your taste in women sometimes, James," Lily said.

            "So do I."

            "Now that you're finished with your letter will you come do something with me? Please!? I'm sooooo bored," she whined.

            "If I must," he said.

            "You must," she said grabbing him by the arm.

            "Where are we going again?" he asked.

            "I have no idea," Lily answered.

            "Good, because I do," James said.

            "Oh?"

            "Let's go swimming!"

            "Why didn't I think of that," Lily asked herself out loud.

            "Because I'm the genius," replied James.

            "You just keep telling yourself that," Lily said while absently patting his arm, "I'll go find Petunia and see if she wants to come."

            "Ok, I'm going to get changed." And so they went their separate ways.

            It took Lily what seemed like forever to find Petunia. She had been hidden by the largest tree on the Potter's estate (it was a big estate).

            "Ainutep, wanna go swimming?" Lily asked using a sort of nickname she and James had come up with at the age of twelve. It drove Petunia crazy.

            "Alright," Petunia said halting her writing and standing up.

            "Ok, let's hurry then. James has probably already got his swim trunks on," Lily said walking faster towards the huge house before them.

            Lily had been quite right. James was waiting for them at the back door.

            "Hurry! I'm ready to swim," he said.

            "Don't rush me!" Petunia answered.

            "Ditto," Lily replied.

            After the girls returned in their suits (after much complaining on James's part) they headed down to the lake that was located on the Potters' property.

            "I assume you two remember the Potter Lake Swimming Rule?" James asked when they got there. They had laid out their towels and were getting ready to jump into the water.

            "A duh," Petunia said putting a hand on her hip.

            "If you get pushed in by someone…be sure to get revenge!" the two girls recited in unison. In fact, they sounded a lot like Thumper in Bambi, 'If you can't say anything nice…don't say anything at all.'

            "Great rule, isn't it?"

Instead of answering, they pushed him headfirst into the water.

!

            They spent the rest of the afternoon swimming, and after that made an attempt at making their own dinner (the Potters' cook had gone on vacation). Finding that they weren't going to succeed in making anything worth eating they went out for a pizza and brought back a movie to watch.

            By that time it was close to midnight, but no one was tired in the least.

            "Let's play Truth or Dare!" Lily exclaimed.

            "Ooh, yeah, let's," Petunia agreed.

            "Ok, but the dares have to be worth doing," said James.

            "Right, I'll go first," Lily said, "Um…Petunia, truth or dare?"

            "Uh…truth," she answered.

            "Hmm," Lily said thoughtfully, "Ok, I've got one. Is it true that you are really writing porn in your journal/notebook thingy?"

            "Lily, you have such a dirty mind," James said, "Do you have a porn notebook?"

            "It's not _my_ truth," she said with a smile.

            "No, it's mine, and no, I don't write porn, it's my journal. Therefore it's about my life," Petunia explained.

            "So you're saying you've never…" Lily asked suggestively.

            "I don't have to answer that," Petunia said with a mysterious grin on her face, "Anyway, it's my turn, so…James, truth or dare?"

            "Dare," he said unhesitatingly.

            "Dare…hmm…" she thought for a few minutes. Then her eyes lit up with what was obviously an idea.

            "Ok, your dare, James, is to find your parents' secret stash of liquor so we can make this game really…interesting," Petunia declared.

            "Now that is my kind of dare," James said as he headed off to the kitchen.

!

            The rest of the week continued much in much of the same manner (except for the fact that they didn't play truth or dare again…). Swimming, movies, pizza, and the occasional night on the town; Petunia even managed to get them all into a bar one night. Needless to say it was extremely fun, but not anymore so than the previous times they had spent together. Of course, as the week came to a close the fun started to fade, and the problem began to present itself.

            The Potters and the Evans were supposed to be returning at the end of July, but July 31st came and went with neither a call nor an appearance. This was rather common behavior from their parents, but when Lily and James received their Hogwarts letters and there was still no sign of their parents, they began to worry.

             They couldn't call, no number had been left, no hotel name had been left, nothing had been left; the only thing that the kids knew about where there parents had gone was the name of the country.

The worry continued to rise as the trip to Diagon Alley passed along with the month of August.

            "Tomorrow! Tomorrow James and I will have to go to Kings Cross!" Lily said angrily, "They were supposed to be here a month ago!"

            "You sound like you're surprised by their behavior, Lily," Petunia said. They were seated in the game room discussing what was to be done about their missing parents; or at least trying to discuss, instead Lily kept pacing the room, denominating the conversation. She was usually the most upset by their parents' trips and tended to get a little over worried.

            "I know it's not unusual for them to not tell us they had decided to extend their stay, but what with this new dark lord on the rise, and the Potters being a very important wizarding family…" Lily explained.

            "Dark lord?" Petunia asked.

            "Yes, but I don't think he's so much of a threat at the moment that he would consider murdering such an esteemed pure-blooded family," James said, rather assuring Petunia that Lily was just being herself.

            "Still, I hate it when they do this, it makes me feel like a mother worrying over her children, when it should be the other way around!" Lily complained.

            "Tell me about it," Petunia said, "Last December they decided to take a trip to California for a week, and ended up staying a month. When I asked why they didn't call and tell me, they said it 'slipped their minds'. How do their children 'slip their minds'?"

            "I wish I knew," James said quietly. "They've missed so many birthdays, and holidays, and special events it's not even funny. Sometimes I wonder how they forget it all."

            "Sometimes I wonder how they just drop the responsibility of parenthood on their children," Petunia admitted.

            "Sometimes," Lily began, "I really hate them." She said this last part bitterly. Without another word Lily went upstairs to her room and began to do some last minute packing for Hogwarts.

A/n: Did ya like it? Please review, constructional criticism would be great. I've started on the second chapter, but I don't have much time at all to write during the week, so I'll basically be working on this on weekends, but even then I'm really busy, so just bear with me.

Plus, I have begun to write the second part of the HP fanatics and the mystery of Catasra, which is called the HP fanatics and the Prophecy, but that's not up yet. Anyway, I've sort of been working alternately with these two stories, so I'm not making promises about when the next chapter will be out.

Maybe, if I get a lot of reviews I'll be able to get it out fairly quickly.

Speaking of reviews, thank you all soooo much! I'm so glad you like my story!!

NeverendingEcho- I think I sorta have an image of a plot line, but who knows what could happen…

            The Light in the Dark- Lily and Petunia know about magic because the Potters decided to tell the Evans because of their very close friendship? Is that good enough?? Lol, j/k, I thought it would be weird if for three years they hadn't noticed anything weird, plus it works well with the story line:)

            reese- I will, please keep reviewing

            loony loopy lupin- I know, I have trouble with descriptions…sorry, I'll try to work on that, and I love the name

            Scarletteyes- I don't like reading the whole first year thingy either...so I didn't put it in! I skipped it right up to 5th year:) I'm glad ya like it, is it really original? Hmm…all my best ideas _do_ come when I'm in the shower…

            Quack Quack 88- Thanks, I know what ya mean about those first year fics…I don't ever read 'em, unless they're like really, really good:)

            cleo- thanks for reviewing, and I will try to get up the chapters as fast as I can!

Anyway, please keep reviewing!!! They really do make me wanna continue (plus, I get all guilty when I don't get things up as fast as I'd like to…)

Beauty Full


	3. Train Ride, Beginning of the Year Feast,...

A/n: Hey everyone, sorry for the wait! I tried to make this one longer and more detailed, because I love long and detailed stories, I just have trouble writing them! Anyway, I would also like to let ya know that I have this story all planned out in my head, but if you have any suggestions, please feel free to offer them!

Disclaimer: Ok…duh…I don't own anything Harry Potter related, but wouldn't it be great if I did?...

September first arrived without the Evans or Potters in sight. The children had no choice but to go ahead and go to Kings Cross Station.

The limo pulled up to the curb, and Petunia, Lily and James hauled themselves out of the car. Petunia, being a muggle, couldn't enter platform nine and three quarters, so they always said their good-byes as soon as they pulled up to the station. The scene was no different than any other year, except for the small fact that their parents weren't there.

"I'll keep your owl, Lily, and owl you guys as soon as they return," Petunia promised while she gave her sister a hug.

            "Thanks, Aitunep," Lily said as the two split apart.

            "Bye, James," Petunia said, giving him a hug also, "And please don't get expelled or suspended, at least not until your parents get home."

            "Of course not, you say that as if I'm some kind of prankster," he said stepping back and giving her a wink.

            "Better hurry, it's almost eleven," she said.

            "See you at Christmas!" James said.

            "Ditto," called Lily.

            "Have a good term, and hope that the supposed adults of our families don't get too spontaneous around Christmas time," and then, with a final wave on both parts, the limo's engine started up and it disappeared down the road while the other two began to walk towards the platform.

            "Well, James, looks like another year at Hogwarts," Lily said as they walked side by side through the crowd of unsuspecting muggles to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.

            "Yep, I have a feeling fifth year will be a good year," he commented pushing his trolley along.

            "Let's hope so," Lily said. By now they had reached the barrier between nine and ten and ran through together.

            They had barely come completely through the division when they were met with their good friend, Sirius Black.

            "LILY! JAMES!"

            Sirius and James held a strange kind of resemblance. Both had dark hair, and light eyes, although Sirius's were light green and James's were light blue. They were even approaching the same height: six feet. Sirius was the kind of person with _way_ too much energy. He could stay up all night and not nap at all the next day, and still be in a happy-go-lucky kind of mood. His friends thought his parents had made a mistake in naming him; he agreed, although more because of the fact that people always had the urge to make a pun out of it than because he was anything but serious.

            "Hello, Sirius," Lily said as he engulfed her in a huge hug.

            "It's great seeing you, Lily," Sirius said stepping back and turning towards James.

            "Sirius! Not in public!" James said as Sirius attempted to give him a hug.

            "But, James, I thought we were going to come forward about our relationship!" Sirius said in a dramatically, girly voice. James sighed and put one hand on Sirius's shoulder.

            "Sirius, my _friend_, I hate to tell you, but I'm just not _that_ way."

            This whole time Lily had been standing by laughing her head off as the two best friends exchanged their greetings.

            "Oh, would you two stop acting like idiots and help me find a compartment?" she asked when she finally gained control of her laughter. However, before they were able to go much farther onto the platform, another familiar face appeared.

            "You needn't worry about that," a fair-headed, brown-eyed boy around their age (I say around their age mainly because he was quite tall, around 5'10) said as he approached, "We already have one reserved."

            "Remus!" Lily said giving him a hug. (A/n: Geez, I didn't mean to make them all a great big hug-giving family…whoops…)

            "Hello, Lily," Remus Lupin greeted after she had released him.

            "Ooh, you put the sign up?" Sirius asked stepping towards his friend.

            "Of course," he answered.

            "_The_ sign! When'd you guys finish it?" James asked curiously.

            "This summer, when you couldn't come over," Sirius said quickly.

            "That's just cruelty, I had…obligations that week, er, month," James explained.

            "Oh, parents leave again?" Remus asked, but before James could answer Sirius interrupted.

            "Can we get back to the compartment, I want to see if anyone tried to pass the sign," Sirius said.

            "What sign?" Lily asked very confused. She was, however, quite used to being confused around these three.

            You see, it was most commonly known around the school that there was a group by the name of the Marauders. It was made up of four boys: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The four had been friends since first year (technically Sirius and James had known each other longer, but they met Remus and Peter on the first train ride they ever took to Hogwarts), and thus had formed the group; the reason being that all four of them shared one common love, and that love, was the love of pranks. They had discovered this on the first train ride (mentioned above) to Hogwarts when they had tried to prank _each other_. The pranks worked, and the friendship began.

            Anyways, the reason Lily was usually confused around these three (usually four, but Peter, as you well know, hadn't arrived just yet) was because they always, and I do mean _always_, had something or other up their sleeves.

            Getting back to their conversation…

            "The sign to reserve the Marauder's compartment of course!" Sirius explained.

            "And everyone will heed because…?" Lily asked.        

            "Well, not only is the sign really, really cool looking," Remus began, "But it also immediately sets up a combination of spells and charms that prevents anyone from taking the compartment until either myself, James, Sirius, and/or Peter go inside."

            Lily opened her mouth to reprimand them (as she usually did), but found that there really wasn't any rule breaking occurring, it was just highly frowned upon.

            "Whatever, we have a compartment, can we please take our belongings to it?" she asked ever so politely.

            "Why of course," James said.

            And off they went to their now reserved train compartment.

!

            "I wonder where everybody else is," Lily asked herself out loud. The four of them were seated in the compartment that Remus had reserved waiting for the rest of the people they usually shared a compartment with.

            "There's only two more people that we usually sit with," Remus pointed out.

            "Yeah, and you know Peter, he's always late," Sirius said in a casually-joking way. It was true, the Pettigrews had a tendency to be either late, or just barely making it on time.        

            Just then, there came a sound of scraping and cursing in the hallway.

            "Looks like Peter's here," James said while opening the door for their friend. Behind the door there stood a very ruffled looking fifteen-year-old boy. His face was rather pink from trying to drag his trunk to their usual compartment. Otherwise he looked like he always did; shifty, black eyes, thin, blonde hair, and slightly shorter than the other three boys.

            "Hello, Peter," Lily said as he pulled his trunk into the compartment, and, with a little help from James, put it with all the others.

            "Now we're only missing one person," Remus mentioned as soon as Peter was settled in for the ride.

            "I know, and it worries me because Jackie isn't usually late," Lily observed while she looked out the window for the person in question.

            "I know, but my grandmother forgot where her glasses were," said a young girl as she hauled her trunk into the compartment. The girl, who must have been this 'Jackie', had short, brown hair that was about halfway down her neck. Her eyes were a granite grey color, sometimes changing to an icy blue depending upon what she was wearing. She was rather tall, almost 5'9, quite a contradiction to Lily's 5'3. She was slim, but not skinny, and had the normal girl-ish figure.

            "Jacklyn Morrow, why on Earth did you cut your gorgeous hair?" Lily cried when she saw her friend.

            "Well, when it got down to my arse I decided it was just too much to keep up with, especially since it was so thick," the accused answered as she put her stuff away.

            "Did you get taller?" Sirius asked.

            "No, you must have shrunk," she replied as she sat down. Sirius and Jackie had always had a weird relationship. They were friends, and yet they weren't; they fought and had little arguments about stupid things, but they were friends, or maybe they weren't. I'm not sure if anyone really knew whether they were friends or not, but I think they always hoped they were. I told you it was weird.

            "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all," James said in a sing-song voice.

            "Shut-up."

 Just then the train started up; the six were on their way to a very interesting year at Hogwarts.

!

            "Ok, Jackie, you have to tell me all about your summer," Lily said.

            "Alright," Jacklyn agreed, "but in turn you have to tell me about yours."

            "There's not much to tell, but alright."

            "Let's see, my summer," she began, and even though it was Lily who asked her, the boys just had to listen as well, "Mum and Dad took all six of us to Canada for two weeks at the beginning. It was so great. We stayed in this neat little cabin near a lake; there was water-skiing, fishing, canoeing, and whatever else you can think of, I even learned some French! It was really, really fun. Then for the rest of the summer Gloria (her younger sister) and I hung out, there really wasn't much else to do."

            "You got to go to Canada! That's so cool," Lily said.

            "Yeah, it was," Jackie said, reminiscing, "But anyway, tell me about _your_ summer…"

            "Well, let's see," Lily began, "I think I spent over half of it with James and Petunia; you know how our parents are. They went to Italy a week after we got home from school, and then when they got home they spent three days with us, and then left to go to Mexico."

            "Yep, and while they were there they decided it would be nice to see Brazil, so they stayed another week and headed south," James added.

            "And then a week after they got home they left to go to Italy, again, and for a month," Lily said.

            "But what did you two do?" Remus asked.

            "Oh, you know, what we usually do," Lily said lightly as she leaned back in her seat next to Jackie.

            "Actually it depends on whose house we're at," James said, "If we're at my house we swim, order pizza, and go to bars."

            "And if we're at my house," Lily said, "we usually swim, order pizza, and go to bars."

            "So, how did your summers go, boys?" Jackie asked the remaining boys.

            "I'm sorry, but that is confidential," Sirius said, and then added, while indicating Peter and Remus, "If I told you, they'd have to kill me."

            "Yes, yes we would," Peter said while everyone else looked at Sirius with raised eyebrows.

            "Oh, you know what I forgot to mention," Lily said after a slight pause from Sirius's comment.

            "What?" Jackie asked.

            "James and I made Prefects," she said.

            "What! James, a Prefect?" Sirius exclaimed.

            "I know, he nearly fainted from the shock," Lily said.

            "I did not," James said trying to defend himself, "I was... I mean…ok, I almost fainted from the shock."

            "Wow, Prefects," Jackie said.

            "I know, they're just growing up so fast," Remus said. Now everyone looked at _him_ with raised eyebrows.

"What?"

!

This kind of idle chit-chat continued for the remainder of the ride. They were all quite shocked when the conductor announced they were five minutes away from Hogwarts. If you had walked into their compartment then you probably would have gotten hit by some object or other that was being thrown around in the attempt to get all their things together and put on their robes at the same time.

            However, they managed to get everything organized in the five minutes they had, and by the time the train stopped they were all dressed in their Hogwarts robes. It was a good thing too, because Lily and James were then immediately called to help organize all the students getting off the train and into the horse-less carriages.

            Everything ended up running very smoothly, and the two had rejoined their friends in no time.

            "I really, really hope the Sorting doesn't take too long," Jackie said as they made the short trip to the castle, "I'm starving."

            "I just want to go to bed," Lily said drowsily.

            "It's a good thing these carriages are fast, and that Hogwarts is close," Remus observed. It was indeed a good thing, too, because if the ride had gone on much longer Lily would have been completely asleep, Jackie would have been able to complain a little bit longer about her hunger, Sirius would be kicked out of the carriage or Remus, James, and Peter would have been just about ready to jump out of the carriage themselves.

            Anyway, pretty soon after that the six friends were seated in the well-remembered Great Hall and waiting for the Sorting to be over.

            "Zellon, Anchez."

            "RAVENCLAW!"

            "Ok, I think there were twice as many kids this year than there have been," Jackie commented after the last student had left the stage.

            "I know, and Dumbledore still has to make his speech," Sirius whined. Just as Sirius had said, Dumbledore stood and began to speak.

            "Welcome to another wonderful year of Hogwarts! For all of you new students, as well as a few of the older ones, there are a few rules here that are to be followed. First of all the Forbidden Forest _is_ _verboten,_ the Whomping Willow will hurt you if you come too close, your dormitories are there to be slept in, and anyone caught out after hours will be severely punished. If you have any further questions, please speak to our caretaker, Mr. Filch, and now, let's eat!"

            With that he seated himself and the feast began.

            Jackie, who really was, it seemed, starving, began to eat like there was no tomorrow, and Lily, who just wanted to get some sleep, silently put some food on her plate and began to eat. On the other side of the table, however, the boys were being very friendly with the rest of the 5th year girls.

            This was only to be expected, of course, because they did it every year; but for some unexplainable reason, which really does have an explanation she just doesn't know it yet, Lily found herself looking in that direction and feeling that strange turning in the pit of her stomach.

About the fifth time she turned to look that way Jackie raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What's up with you?" the dark-haired girl asked after she had eaten her fill.

            "What'd you mean?" Lily asked like she didn't know what in the world Jackie was talking about.

            "Why do you keep looking at the Mauraders with that weird look on your face?"

            "What weird look?" Lily asked, truly confused now because she had know idea she was making a weird look.

            "That look like you're going to murder Katy Hall in her sleep or something," Jackie replied, and then added as if as an afterthought, "Not that that would be such a bad thing…"

            "I am not making any such face," Lily denied. In all truthfulness, she was making a face, and she did feel like she could murder Katy Hall in her sleep. The reason being that Katy, and all her friends (Marie Colbert, Erin Sarren, and Elizabeth Snider; all the really girly-girls in the 5th year girls' dorm) were shamelessly flirting with the Marauders, and Katy was flirting hard with James.

            "Mm-hm, I'm sure," Jackie said.

            Unfortunately Lily had no chance to defend herself, because just then the feast ended and she had to direct everyone to the common room. That didn't, however, distract her thoughts of what her friend had said.

            It wasn't possible that she could actually be feeling something like jealousy…could it? She and James were just friends…right? Just innocent, child-hood friends, and nothing more.

            _I can't have gone this long without liking James, and then just suddenly start to. It doesn't happen that way. Besides the fact that it is so cliché; falling in love with your best friend? Please…_

            _But then why does my heart sink in my chest when I see him with some other girl? Why am I even thinking about this? I do not like James!_

            These thoughts and more all ran through her head as she headed up to the Gryffindor common room. After leading the first years to the appropriate dorms she headed to her own where she immediately undressed and fell into bed.

            But before she was able to fall to sleep one last thought slipped through:

            _Who am I kidding? I am totally crushing on James Potter._

A/n: So??? What did ya think? Please review and tell me!! And sorry I didn't thank everybody in this chapter, but I really wanted to go ahead and get it out because you guys have already waited so long!! I promise I'll do thank you's next chapter:) I might even make that a habit, thank you's every other chapter….anyway r/r!

Beauty Full


	4. The First Few Weeks Back and the First o...

            A/n: Hey ya'll!!! I'm so sorry about not getting this up sooner. I had some writers block and no time to type, and those are two sorry combinations when you're trying to get a chapter out! Please read, and I hope ya like it! And for all the grammatical errors, I'm sorry! For one I didn't feel like reading over it…again…and plus I'm only in the 7th grade, I haven't gotten to all the types of grammar!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of J.K. Rowlings characters, etc, etc.

The next morning Lily was up and about getting ready for the first day back. Lily was almost always the first person up in the girls' dorm; she said she had an internal alarm clock. By the time the rest of the dorm began to groan and moan as they slowly picked themselves out of bed, Lily was already showered, dressed, made-up, and ready to go. However, she might as well have stayed in bed until everyone else woke up because she had to wait for Jackie to finish getting ready anyways.

            Usually this annoyed the heck out of Lily, but today she was rather glad to have to wait. The epiphany of the night before had definitely not escaped her remembrance, and she was more than happy to not have to face James just yet, or by herself.

            So a good hour after Lily had finished her morning routine, Jackie finished hers, and they headed down to the Great Hall for a very brief breakfast. (I say brief because as they walked down to the Great Hall they realized they only had five minutes before classes began.)

            When they finally did make it to their destination, Lily was happy to see that the Marauders must have already eaten and gone to class. _On some prank most likely,_ she thought to herself as she and Jackie sat down and hurriedly ate with the rest of the late risers.

            Luckily, Professor McGonagall saw them as they entered and walked over to give them their schedules.

            "Miss Evans and Miss Morrow, please try to be a little more punctual to breakfast, especially you, Miss Evans. We can't have our Prefects being late to classes can we?" the stern professor inquired as she gave the two girls their schedules.

            "No, professor, but I do believe that Mr. Potter will be the one you will have to be worrying about…" Lily replied as she began to look over her classes.

            "Indeed," the professor said as she walked off with raised eyebrows.

            "What class do you have first?" Jackie asked as soon as McGonagall was out of hearing distance.

            "History of Magic, and I assume you get to join me in that oh-so-interesting class?" Lily questioned sardonically.

            "Of course," Jackie said with a sigh and a sip of pumpkin juice. Lily then began to notice that the Great Hall's population was slowly dwindling

            "Come on, we better be getting to class, we don't want to be late on our first day; we'll miss all the good seats at the back of the class," Lily said standing up and Jackie along with her, and they made the very fast trip to the History of Magic room. Unfortunately, though they weren't late, they weren't early so they ended up being stuck with mediocre seats in the front of the middle of the classroom.

            Lily, who in past years found that she stared out the window (if there was one) when she was bored, had really wanted a window seat. As it turns out, a lot of people do the very same thing, and they were all early; so she took the next best option and sat beside Remus (yes, the Marauders were already there, and had been for quite some time) who was sitting beside the window. Soon afterwards class began…

            And what a boring class it was.

!

            Just as she had suspected, Lily found that she was staring out the window by the end of the lesson. She had been in La-La-Lily-Land, and the theme in La-La-Lily-Land today was none other than James Potter.

            During History of Magic, she generally at least paid some attention, and sometimes she even took notes; today she hadn't heard one word Professor Binns had said. She was too busy thinking about her relationship with James. _I want to be more than friends, but what if he doesn't? but obviously now I can't stay just his friend, because I am positive these feelings won't go away. What if I just tell him? And then he says no, our relationship will never be the same again! _Of course after she looked at it from the logical side of things she turned to _but what if we were going out?_ Then she had a perfect holiday think about stuff from the suitable G-rated things she and James could do and other…less innocent fancies.

            Anyhoo, Jackie had to shake her out of her wonderful daydreams at the end of the lesson so they wouldn't be late for Transfiguration. They then had to basically run the whole way to Professor McGonagall's room, but they weren't late.

            In Transfiguration, Lily and Jackie usually tried to sit at the front of the class because they needed to pay attention. However, as they weren't exactly early again they had to settle for the last two seats, and they weren't even beside each other. Jackie ended up in the front row while Lily reluctantly sat down in the seat next to Remus who was next to the window; I say reluctantly because on the other side of her were Katy and all her snobby friends.

            Then McGonagall began to talk…and Lily began to drift off into, you guessed it, La-La-Lily-Land where the topic was, once again, James Potter. When she realized this she immediately began to focus again mainly because if she didn't she wouldn't be able to keep up her grades too well.

            Lily managed to keep her thoughts for the rest of the day almost under control. However, every now and then she would find her mind starting to drift back to the topic. It was a problem, and not being able to solve it made it harder to resist.

            Although when Potions came around she found herself looking in the direction of James and Remus's table from time to time; and in Care of Magical Creatures she couldn't help but daydream as the professor had paired them together.

            It all boiled down to the fact that for the majority of that day, the only thing Lily could concentrate on was James Potter and the fact that she liked him in a more than friendly way.

!

            The next few weeks proceeded in much of the same manner; a completely boring manner. People had just settled into their school year routine, and nothing important seemed to happen. It wasn't until a completely hilarious prank, pulled by who else but the Marauders, or a Quidditch game, or another inquisitive thing popped up that things started to get exciting.

            This year that other inquisitive thing popped up three weeks after the start of the year. Well, technically the entire school didn't know about it…it was really just an inquisitive thing that popped up for Lily.

!

            Jackie and Lily were sitting and having some girl talk on Jackie's bed up in their dorm. The only other person there was Gwynne Smith, a shy quiet girl, who was currently enraptured in her book, _The Man in the Iron Mask_.

            Like I said, Jackie and Lily were talking when out of the blue, which I suppose really wasn't out of the blue since it _was_ there dorm too, (a/n: ha, it rhymed!!) Katy, Erin, Marie, and Elizabeth walked in. The bad part about this was…they all shared a secretive smile, and whenever they share a secretive smile everyone knows something bad is going to happen; it was merely a question of who it was going to happen to.

            Katy stepped forward and directed her speech towards Lily. Lily got a very bad feeling.

            "Hello, Lily."

            "Katy," Lily said with a nod.

            "So…I'll get right to the point," Katy said in a 'friendly' tone, "We think it's absolutely adorable."

            "What is 'absolutely adorable'?" Jackie asked, imitating Katy's voice. They decided to ignore this, and Elizabeth stepped forward.

            "Why, Lily's crush, of course!" All of the blood, and I really do mean all of the blood, left Lily's face when she heard that. Her mind was screaming _how do they know! HOW DO **THEY**_ _KNOW! _However, she answered in what appeared to be a completely calm voice.

            "I don't know what you are talking about."

            "You don't have to deny it, Lily," Katy said, "We already know, and we think it's wonderful."

            "Yes," began Marie, "I must admit that I do have a crush on him as well, but I thought, in a completely unselfish way, why not let Lily have a go at him?"

            "Besides, you're always staring at him in class," Erin added.

            "Lily, what are they talking about?" Jackie asked, turning towards her best friend. Lily, in all truth, had no idea what they were talking about. She knew for a fact that Katy liked James, not Marie, and she hardly ever stared directly at him during class.

            "I don't know what they are talking about, Jackie, because I don't like anybody," Lily said, lying through her teeth. She obviously couldn't say that she liked James right in front of all of them, even if they did already know.

            "Anyways, dear," Katy began again, "Since we knew you weren't going to make any moves we decided that we'd set you two up. It's for your own good."

            "You what!?!?"

            "Yes, you two will be having a little 'study date' Saturday, even though technically, he doesn't know about it yet," Erin said with a forced smile.

            "Why? You people don't even like me! Why would you set me up with somebody!?" Lily practically screamed.

            "Don't talk nonsense," Marie said. Marie who didn't like James, she liked…_Oh no…they don't think I like! Oh shit, they think I like…!_ Realization dawned.

            "You people don't think I like…" but she was cut off by Elizabeth.

            "No, we know you like him, and it's perfectly fine to, I mean, he is after all a Marauder."

            "Anyway, we've wasted enough time; we're going to go inform him of your date, tata!" Katy said as the four of them left the dorm. As soon as they shut the door Lily turned to Jackie and practically screamed,

            "JACKIE! THEY THINK I LIKE REMUS LUPIN!"

            "And you don't?" Jackie asked.

            "No!

            "Then I suggest you go stop them from informing him that you do."

!

            Unfortunately it was too late by the time Lily reached the common room. She managed to make it in time to see them talking to the Marauders, and for Remus to look over at her in a questioning manner. She then decided it would be a good time to repeatedly bang her head against the wall beside the staircase.

            _Why me? Why me? Why me?_

            Jackie then appeared beside her.

            "Oh dear, they already asked him…Lily, stop. If you keep doing that you're going to get a concussion," Jackie said trying to hold Lily's head still.

            "Why the earth was graced with those four…AAGH! I can't even find the right word to describe them! Their just so…"

            "I know, I know, but talking like that about them, however good it feels, will not get you out of this situation, will it?" Jackie asked her like she was a small four-year old. She certainly looked the part with her lower lip slightly protruding.

            "No…"

            "So what are you going to do?"

            "I'm going to go over there and tell Remus that they don't know what they're talking about, and that I don't like him in that way."

            "Good."

            She took one step, and then turned back to Jackie.

            "Wait, Jackie, what if _he_ likes me that way? I couldn't do that; it would be so…mean. It would be something Katy would do."

            "Mmm…" Jackie said intelligently, "that is not so good."

            "What am I going to do?"  
            Jackie never got to answer that, because just then Katy, Erin, Elizabeth, and Marie walked back over from where they had been talking to the Marauders.

            "Well, Lily, we set it all up. You two will be having a lovely little date tomorrow in the library at eight o'clock," Elizabeth said in an extremely annoying, perky voice. With that the four walked back up to the girls' dormitory to wreak havoc on somebody else's life, or whatever they do.

            The only thing Lily could do…was go along with their twisted little scheme.

!

            So that's why, on Saturday evening at eight o'clock, she was in the library walking over to the table that Remus was already sitting at.

            _This is going to be very uncomfortable._

            Jackie had advised Lily to just tell Remus that she didn't like him, because he had never appeared to show any sign of liking her in that way. Lily then pointed out that if he didn't like her he wouldn't have agreed to the date.

            "Hi, Remus," she said as she sat down across from him.

            "Hey, Lily."

            "So…"

            "So…"

            _I really should tell him that I don't like him…but what if he gets all upset or something? What am I talking about? He's a guy, who probably doesn't even like me in the first place…but still…_

            However, Lily didn't get the chance to finish arguing with herself, because he then took the liberty to make her decision much easier.

            "Listen, Lily, I have to admit, I don't really like you in a girlfriend kind of way."

            Lily's face lit up with relief.

            "You don't? Thank goodness," she said, and then added to explain herself, except she ended up rambling, "because I really didn't like you that way either. Katy and them are extremely whacked. I mean, you're just a friend. People can be friends and nothing more, right? I don't even like anybody anyways. Well not really, and maybe friends can be more than just friends…sorry, I'm rambling."

            "It's alright," Remus said. There was a rather uncomfortable silence after this.

            "Did you even think I really liked you in that way to begin with? Because you didn't seem very hesitant about 'sparing my feelings'," Lily questioned to break the silence.

            "To tell you the truth, no; you seem to like somebody else to me," he said. Lily began to panic.

            "What'd you mean? I don't like anybody," she said.

            "Well, I do like somebody else, and, because I think we're friends enough, I was wondering if you'd help set me up with her," Remus asked after looking at her skeptically.

            "Sure, Remus, who's the girl?" Lily questioned, glad the subject was off of her.

            "Gwynne Smith," he said. Lily smiled.

            "Aw…you two would be good together! I'll see what I can find out. Gwynne and I aren't what you might call the best of friends, but she's pretty nice, and I think I could get her to tell me if she likes you," Lily said thoughtfully.

            "Really? Thanks, Lily," Remus said with a smile forming.

            "So I guess we should I head back to the common room?" she asked.

            "Probably, we don't won't to be caught wandering the halls in the dead of night by Filch."

            "I know, you've been in that situation enough, I'm sure."

A/n: So??? What'd ya think? Please review and tell me!! Do you think Gwynne and Remus will get together? And will Lily ever tell anyone about her crush on James? You'll just have to wait till I get the next chapter out! And hope that it comes out soon…cause I surely don't know what the plot line of it will be

Oh yes! Thank you time:

**um****…**- Thankies, thankies:) the suggestion was good, but I had already planned out the chapter, but thanks anyways!!

**buhbyezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz**- thanks for the review! Hmm…jealousy, that is a good idea, I'll see what I can do with it!

**mysterious**** righter- **I'll try to!

**reese**- yea, you reviewed again!!

**LoonyLoopyLisa****-** thanks for reviewing

**Scarlett****eyes- **I'm glad you liked it! The Potter Swimming Rule I got from my friend's swimming rule, cause she actually has a pool, the lucky girl…review again!!

**Liz the Laugh- **Kewl name, and thanks, I was trying to make it different

**myobgirl****- **Yes, I would hate for my parents to be that way too…and Petunia will get into her character as the story progresses, I have it all planned out, so don't worry! By the end she will be the Petunia will all know and hate!

**Musicizbest****- **Yes! I know, can you wait for it to get out? I pre-ordered it, and that is a really kewl excerpt!

**DancinEvy****- **Thank ya!

**mfca****-**thanks, I'm glad you feel so passionate to put the review in all caps!

**paws10081-**hides face sorry sorry! I know this one took even longer to get out, but please don't get discouraged, I'm trying really hard to get the out at a reasonable time…at least I don't take two or three months…those people get real annoying! (no offence to anyone who happens to do that, especially the ones with writers block…it is a pain in the ass!)


	5. Ooh! Surprise!

            A/n: I AM SOOOOOOOO SORRY!!!!!!! I know it's been months and months, and I'm soo ashamed! But really, school has taken a horrible toll upon my life. It's looking as if I'll have barely any summer vacation because of all these programs I want to do during the summer! Anyway, I have finally gotten this chapter out, and you must be happy that I've done this much, because I've had poetry notebooks, research papers, and cheerleading all to do, plus all that homework in between. It's just been hectic, however, I will do my bestest to get the next chapter out much, much sooner! (Which actually will be fairly easy, considering school is almost over)

Disclaimer: Same old, same old….

The first thing Lily did the next day was to try to talk to Gwynne. Unfortunately Gwynne could not be found. Not in the dormitories, not in the common room, not in any empty classrooms (though it couldn't really be expected that she'd be there), not in the Great Hall, not even in the library. Finally deciding that her search was futile, Lily went back to her own business saying she would find and talk to Gwynne the next day.

            Monday came, and she still couldn't find Gwynne. Sure she was in classes, but where she disappeared to after classes was a mystery. Lily tried to follow her once, but she lost the small, quiet girl in the mass of students heading towards the Great Hall for lunch. It was especially hard to be on someone's tail when someone else coughREMUScough was continually asking you if you had asked that person yet.

            Finally, on Tuesday night, Lily found Gwynne in the common room. She was sitting in the far corner reading another big, dusty volume. She seemed to be completely taken in with whatever she was reading. Her hazel eyes looked intently at the page behind some thin framed glasses, most likely reading glasses, and her light brown hair fell in her face. As it was almost twelve o'clock at night and as there were no students in the common room; Lily chose this moment to go and talk to the hard-to-catch Gwynne.

            "Hi, Gwynne," Lily said as she walked across the room to where the shy girl sat.

            "Oh, hello, Lily," Gwynne said raising her head from her book. Then seeing that Lily wished to actually have a conversation with her, she set the book on the small table next to her chair and laid her glasses on top of it.

            "So…what book are you reading?" Lily asked trying to figure out how to get to the desired topic.

            "_Jane Eyre_. Have you ever read it?" Gwynne asked. She really liked to talk about books.

            "Um, I can't say that I have. Is it any good?"

            "Depends on what kind of books you like, I suppose. It's a romance, but not the really romantic kind where there's a gorgeous girl who meets some debonair gentleman and falls in love at first sight. Actually it's quite the opposite." She would have elaborated, but realized that Lily had probably come over to talk about some homework or something like that; no one ever really talked to her for any other reason. "So why'd you really want to talk?"

            Lily thought for a split second about telling Gwynne the truth. That she was trying to find out for Remus if she, Gwynne, liked him. Then Lily realized how weird, and rude, something like that would be.

            "Oh, just to chat. Do you like fantasy books, because those are my favorites…"

!

            The next few weeks went by smoothly. Lily and Jackie, because of course Jackie had to be included, began to become very good friends with Gwynne. It shocked them, actually, to realize how little attention that they, or anyone for that matter, had spared on such an intriguing girl. The more they began to know her, the more they began to see that something, or more likely someone, was always on her mind.

            During these weeks that Lily was trying to get to know Gwynne, she and Remus had made a silent agreement not to talk of the subject until informed otherwise. As in Lily finding out Gwynne really liked him or not.

            Lily also found out, during these weeks, why Gwynne was so hard to find. Behind a particular painting, on a particular hall there happened to be a small room that only a girl would know the password to. Gwynne told Jackie and Lily about the place shortly after they began to befriend her; she also told them the password: sometimes just looking at guys makes my head hurt. Yeah, they thought it was a long password too, although extremely true.

            About a month after Lily and Remus's talk, the three girls, after having a very hectic Friday, decided they should have a little girls' night out, and what better place than Gwynne's secret room?

            So Friday after school they pulled out all their make-up, nail polish, hair scrunches, brushes, lotions, and gathered plenty of food from the kitchens (the secret entrance being known courtesy of the Marauders). Then they gathered all the pillows and sheets and spreads that they could and, as inconspicuously as possible, headed to the secret compartment. (Of course they went one at a time, I'm sure three girls carrying all sorts of make-up, pillows and blankets, and food to some empty corridor would look extremely conspicuous.)

            Once they were there, and all spread out, for the little room had plenty of spacing because the only furniture was a small desk and a comfy chair, they began to play Truth or Dare, the best conversation starter ever invented.

            "Alright, Gwynne, you go first, and I'll start on your nails," Jackie said while looking for the perfect color.

            "Um…I don't really know what to ask," Gwynne admitted truthfully, "I've never played. Am I supposed to found out all your nasty secrets, or who you like, or make you do something incredibly stupid which you will forever look back on in shame?"

            "All of them, separately of course," Lily said.

            "Ok…Lily, Truth or Dare?"

            "Hmm...It's too early to do any kind of dare, so I'll go with truth."

            "Have you ever had sexual intercourse, with a girl?"

            At that Jackie burst out with hysterical laughter, and Lily turned a bright shade of pink but was laughing yet.

            "As much as I hate to admit it, I have, but I can say truthfully…it was all Jackie's fault!"

            "It was not! We were both a little more than tipsy-"

            "Way more than tipsy," Lily cut in.

            "And I thought it was a mutual agreement," Jackie finished as if she hadn't been interrupted.

            "Whoa! I want the whole story, and I want it now," Gwynne said, extremely curious and extremely amused.

            "Well, if you must know, it was at my house two summers ago. Lily had accidentally found my parents' liquor cabinet-" Jackie began to explain, but was interrupted again by Lily.

            "I did not! You are the one who knew where it was."

            "Remember it how you will, we both got very, very drunk; and, although I can't remember how we started talking about it, we starting discussing lesbians, and the next thing I know, we're snogging! Of course, it may have gone farther than that, but not too much farther, because we both passed out pretty soon," Jackie finished.

            "I will never get drunk with you again," Lily said.

            "Oh, you know you liked it," Jackie replied. Gwynne just laughed while shaking her head.

            "Great, now I'll never be able to get those pictures out of my head," she said.

            They continued to laugh about this for the next few minutes. It really was hard to stop because every time they would all stop laughing, one of them would say "Silence!" and then they'd all start cracking up again. However, during one of these silences there was heard a tapping, like an owl on the window tapping. Lily scrambled up, still laughing hysterically, and opened the window to find that it was her owl that was rapping so on the window.

            It was then that Lily remembered Petunia's promise to write when their parents returned. Of course, that's not to say that she ever truly forgot, but what with all the start of the school year homework and prefect duties, she hadn't had much time to worry about it. She realized then that her parents had been gone close to five months. They had never been gone that long.

            On such an epiphany she hastily tore open the letter:

_Dear Lily,_

_I hope your having an alright time at school! Mom and dad have been back for about a week, but in all the hustle and bustle of their return (you know what they're like) I haven't had a chance to write to you about it. They were like their usually selves, bringing back plenty of junk for us to store in the attic, completely unaware of how worried we'd all been because of their being gone so long._

_Oh, just so you know, they decided that they were going to tour the __Mediterranean__ instead of just staying in __Italy__. That is why they've been gone for almost five months. When I asked why they hadn't called or written, they said, and this really won't surprise you, it had just slipped their minds. Doesn't it always 'just slip their minds'? _

_Although they did say they had written once, just a quick little note, but since we didn't receive it, they believe it must've gotten lost somewhere between __Algeria__ and here. Go figure._

_            Anyways, they're planning on taking another trip soon, probably over Christmas, _

_so I wouldn't be expected much from them._

_            So do write if something happens at Hogwarts, something important that is, and tell James hello for me!_

_Until Christmas,_

_Petunia_

            Lily folded the letter up and sent her owl on up to the Owlery.

            "What was that all about?" Jackie asked.

            "It was Petunia. Mom and dad have finally gotten back from Italy, and evidently their Mediterranean tour," Lily explained rather bitterly. Jackie nodded understandingly, but Gwynne looked slightly confused. Jackie saw this and whispered so Lily couldn't hear,

            "I'll explain later." Then, because she knew Lily needed some definite cheer, she added, "Alright, let's crack open these butterbeers and have a little fun."

            "Just as long as we don't have _too much_ fun, if you know what I mean," Gwynne said while handing Lily the drink.

            "Really, I think that that one lesbian act was enough for my entire lifetime," Lily agreed, getting into a party mood.

            "I know! Let's play tell-everyone-who-you-like!" Jackie said. The other two girls weren't so eager.

            "Oh come on, Jackie, you only want to play because you don't like anybody," Lily complained.

            "Exactly, and since you happen to make that comment, and because you obviously like somebody, or else you wouldn't mind playing, you get to go first!"

            This was, strangely enough, exactly what Lily did and did not want. Of course she wanted it to find out who it was that Gwynne liked, and she didn't want it because she wasn't ready to admit to anyone other than herself that she was falling for James Potter.

            "Ugh, fine," Lily said. How was she going to get out of this one? _Ah hah! What is the one thing that hanging out with James has taught me? When in doubt, lie to get out!_ "I have to admit that I have been crushing on Mundungus Fletcher!"

            "That Ravenclaw boy from Care of Magical Creatures?" Jackie asked.

            "Yes."

            "Lily, Lily, that is so cute!" she exclaimed.

            "Well, Gwynne, I believe it's your turn," Lily said, trying to steer the subject away from the person she really didn't like, knowing all to well that Jackie would want to hook her up with him.

            "Well," Gwynne said hesitatingly, "Are you sure you won't laugh? And are you sure you won't tell anyone? Please?"

            "Of course not! What kind of friends do you think we are?" Jackie asked.

            "Besides, who would we tell? Certainly not whoever it is you like, and you would have to kill me before I would tell Katy or any of them," Lily assured her.

            "Alright, but let me just tell you first, that I've liked this boy since, it must be said, first year. Perhaps, even more than liked him; and even though he really doesn't seem to see me, I just can't get myself to give up on him and move on. I've tried, I really have, but some way or other he ends up in my thoughts again. It's like…destiny or something," and she said this with rapture and delight, as if she'd been waiting so long for someone to ask her such a question, which she probably had.

            "Well, you can't just leave us hanging like that! Who is he?" Jackie urged, so that then, in the quietest of whispers, Gwynne answered,

            "Sirius Black."

!

A/n: But I can leave you guys hanging! Ok, review, review, review! Please!

Oh yes, and Thank yous go to:

**freakyfroggurl22**- Hmm…that is a good idea…I might be using it:)

**Musicizdbest**- I know, I can't help being obsessed, it just comes naturally

**paws10081**- I'm afraid to see what you're going to say about how long it took me to get this one up! But I promise, I will try really really REALLY hard to get the next chapter out ASAP!!!!

**does it matter?**- thank you! What compliments!

**Ravenclawgirl**- thanks, and of course I'll continue! I've got to see how this ends :0)

**Lamina Court**- thanks for reviewing, and I must say I really love your fics too! They are soo kewl:0)

Well, if I left anybody out, just yell at me in the review and I'll be sure to mention ya next time!


	6. And the Plot or what little whimpy thing...

            A/n: Hey everybody! I got this chapter out pretty soon didn't I? But then school's out too so….anyway, I'll try to get the next chapter out ASAP, which shouldn't take too long considering I have nothing else to do put sit and think about what to type…

Disclaimer: these things are soo annoying, but here it goes….J.K. ROWLING IS THE GENIUS BEHIND ALL OF THE HARRY POTTER STUFF THAT IS SO AWESOME, THE ONLY THINGS I OWN ARE THE PLOT AND WELL GWYNNE BUT REALLY SHE'S VERY CAPABLE OF HERSELF…there, now that that's done, go on and read the story!

To say the least, that was not what Lily had expected to hear. Sirius Black and Gwynne Smith were complete antitheses of each other.

            And yet, it seemed to fit perfectly…

            Which is why Lily did her best to avoid Remus for the next few days. Unfortunately he realized this.

            "Lily."

            She jumped slightly. She hadn't expected to be seeing anyone in the library on a Saturday morning at five a.m., least of all Remus Lupin. She had been working on a Defense Against the Dark Arts research paper and had hoped it would keep her there all day, thus successfully avoiding Remus for one more day. Regrettably luck didn't seem to be with her. She was actually in the worst possible position to be confronted by him; stuck in a corner of the library early in the morning with no one to distract them. Exactly what she had hoped to avoid. Oh well…

            "Oh, hello Remus. You scared me there; you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that, especially so early in the morning. What brings you here this early anyways? I'm working on the research paper; you know trying to get a head start on it and all. What's your topic? Mine's the reliability of the Ministry of Magic, a rather forward topic according to Professor Ming, but good all the same…" she was cut off from her rambling by Remus's abrupt statement.

            "She doesn't like me, does she?"

            Lily hesitated before answering.

            "Well she likes you, but just as a friend ya know? I'm so sorry Remus; I know you really liked her…"

            "It's all right. It's not as if I loved her or something…" he said. Really he did look a little hurt, but nothing time couldn't cure, but then, what couldn't time cure? Even the severest heartache could be lessened with time…I think…

            "I'm glad you got me to try and find out if she liked you before you asked her out, because I think she might have said yes, and your whole relationship would have been ruined because she is in love with somebody else. Somebody whose name I will not disclose before you ask, because she is my friend, even if it took something like this to get to know her, and, well you know all about secrets, right? As a Marauder who wouldn't?"

            "Yeah, I get it, Lils. Speaking of which let's not mention this to the guys, you know how Sirius can be," Remus asked. _Tortuous_ was the thought that flashed through Lily's mind.

            "Of course, I would never have thought of it. I know Sirius only too well and James too for that matter," Lily agreed.

            "I guess I'll be seeing you at breakfast?" he asked.

            "Uh…sure, when is that, like two more hours?"

            "Around that, see you then."

!

            The next matter of business for Lily, besides her paper and other bits of homework, was how in the world to get Sirius to notice Gwynne, and when for it to happen. It couldn't be too soon, because not even Remus is that forgiving, but then she didn't want to have to make Gwynne wait another year for her unrequited love. So, so confusing…

            And then it occurred to her that perhaps trying to force them together would be totally the wrong approach. Only bad things happened when people tried to play match-maker, because it was too much the position of God.

            And when it came to that, maybe they would meet all by themselves and fall in love, just as fate had planned it.

            But then, what if fate hadn't planned it?

            Absolutely confusering.

!

            "You've seemed distant, Lils, what's been on your mind?" James asked. It was around five or so on that same day. Lily and James were at the Quidditch pitch in the stands to have one of their weekly/daily/wheneverly chats. They were, after all, best friends. At least, best friends from the opposite sex. They had discovered over the years that sometimes it was easier to spill things out to each other than to their best friends of the same gender.

            "Just too many love'ms," she said in a rather muffled way because she had placed her head in her hands at the same moment.

            "Love'ms?"

            "Love matters…and also, way too much school work," she added lifting her head up, because she really didn't want to get into a discussion of the heart with James for more than obvious reasons. James was not to be so easily deviated however.

            "What kind of love matters, or love'ms as you say?" he questioned in his annoyingly nosy way, and somehow at that moment Lily found it an adorable quality.

            "Oh, you know, girl stuff. Jackie likes so-and-so, Gwynne is in love with such-and-such, that kind of thing," Lily said nonchalantly, lying over so slightly.

            "What about you, Lily? No new Lover Boy?" he asked jokingly. He always called her boyfriends, Lover Boy, no matter who they were. Of course she had had very few, so many of the boys in their year were just so immature. Then again, the one she was crushing on now was possibly the king of that category.

            "Not really," Lily said, and then she realized she had made a pretty big mistake. _How could I say 'not really'? That's like yelling 'YEAH I HAVE A HUGE CRUSH ON SOMEONE', especially to someone as inquisitive as James._

            "Not really? Does that mean we have a little crush on our hands?" he asked smiling wildly. A smile that made all his features look even better, Lily noted.

            "Not on our hands, on my hands, and you are not going to know who it is," Lily said stubbornly crossing her hands over her chest.

            "Oh, but I will, whether you tell me or not!" he claimed.

            "Sure, you just keep telling yourself that," she said absently patting his head.

            "I will."

            "So do you have any knew conquests?" she asked deciding turning the tables would be a good idea.

            "Don't I always?" he asked, a question that rather made her heart sink.

            "That you do."

            "Well, actually this one isn't technically mine…yet. I still have to win her over," he explained.

            "Go on, who is she?" Lily asked, wondering if she really wanted to know the answer to that question, but then if she didn't want to know who James really liked, why had she asked the question…_oh yeah, to give him a stab of his own medicine._

            "Do you really believe after your stubbornness I'll agree to tell who I like?" he asked her. _And now he has to throw my own medical concoction back at me?_

            "A girl can hope can't she?" she teased.

            "Yes, but she can dream as well," he replied.

            "Alright then, since neither of us will tell who we like, I think a topic change is in order," she decreed.

            "Really? Because I thought a 'Guess-Who-Each-Other-Likes' game was in order," James pondered. Lily thought awhile before she answered.

            "Alright, but on three conditions."

            "Go on."

            "One, only three hints about who the person is. Two, if you find out who I like you can't tell anyone and vice versa. Three, after we play we can count constellations," she said. The last one was something they always had done together since they were children, and it was usually how they ended up ending their conversations, considering constellations only come out when the sun goes down.

            "I have no objections, you start."

Lily sighed.

            "Very well. Ok, hint one: he's amazing."

            "No fair Lily, that's an opinion! The hints have to be facts."

            "But it is a fact!"

            "Fine, fine. Go on."

            "Ok, he is in our year."

            "And our house?"

            "I'm not telling you that, listen to the last hint: he's completely oblivious that I like him."

            "Ugh, that doesn't give me much to guess with. I'd have to guess every guy in our year."

            "I know. It's your turn."

            "Ok. She's beautiful."

            "That could be a lot of people…"

            "Well a lot of people could be amazing too…"

            "Point taken, continue."

            "She knows I like her, and the last clue, she's not like any other girl I've ever met."

            "James! That's no fair, I didn't say anything like that!" Lily whined.

            "Ah…too bad, I did," he smiled in his oh-so-annoying way.

            In retaliation she stuck her tongue out at him.

            "Way to be mature, Lils. So do you know who she is?" he asked. Lily looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

            "How am I supposed to know? You didn't even say what year she's in," Lily sighed and added, "The only good thing you gave me was that she knows you like her." Of course this ruled Lily herself completely out, much to her disappointment, but really she had never expected him to like her, so it wasn't so terribly bad. Never mind, it was just as bad.

            "Well, fine, I'll give you that one, she's in our year."

            "Ok. Did you figure out mine?"

            "No," he said, "But I will. If you can count on nothing else, I will find out!" Then he added his evil laugh.

            "Shut-up! We've got some star gazing to do. See, the sun has set, and the moon is out, let's hop to it!"

            "That sounded incredibly cheesy."

            "Oh well, what can you do?"

!

            Gwynne sighed and looked up from one of the chairs in the common room. She had practically disappeared in its depths she was so small. Lily was off talking with James, and Jackie was finishing up her homework in the library. With both of her newly acquired friends busy she decided to turn to something that had always been there for her before: reading.

            Gwynne was what you could call an avid reader. She read pretty much anything she could get her hands on. Some how they could all carry her away. Even really boring books, like _1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi_, because when she read them it was like she was an expert on the topic doing a little light reading to refresh her memory. And of course with fictional books she was whisked away immediately. She especially like books that twisted words; books that had puns and metaphors and similes at every turn, like _The Phantom Toll Booth_. That book had all sorts of word play. Currently she held in her possession an old copy of George Orwell's _Animal Farm_ a very intriguing farm yard 'fairy tale'. Getting lost in her reading, she discovered a long time ago, was so much better than being caught in her reality.

            It was around five when she sat down to begin reading, now, as she checked her watch, she was surprised to find that it was almost eleven thirty. Deciding she had better go back to the dorm, she began to get out of the deep chair. Unfortunately she found she was stuck.

            "Damn."

            Except it wasn't she who had made the comment. Looking around the room she noted that there was one more person in there besides herself…

            Sirius Black.

            Sirius Black, without his friends. Sirius Black without any girls hanging around. Sirius Black sitting at a table doing…could it be? This was surely a sight to behold! Sirius Black actually doing his homework?

            She could tell it was true by the way he was staring at the page and tapping on the table. From years of observation Gwynne Smith could assure anyone that that was the way he looked when he was concentrating on school work. A seldom occurring act.

            "After placing eye of newt and toe of frog comes which ingredient? How the hell am I supposed to know. Does that professor think I'm listening during his class? Who would?" All this Sirius was asking himself rather loudly.

            "Wool of bat and tongue of dog," Gwynne was surprised to find that she had answered the question.

            Sirius nearly jumped out of his skin. He had no idea there was anyone else in the common room, but then how was he supposed to see the tiny girl enveloped by the seat?

            "Sorry if I scared you, but would you mind helping me? I'm stuck, and this position is really uncomfortable," she said quietly.

            "Oh sure." He hurried over to where she was.

            She was very much stuck, in a very uncomfortable looking position. He reached down and took hold under her arms, and swiftly lifted her out of the seat.

            "Thanks."

            "No problem." They stood there awkwardly for a moment.

            "Having trouble with your homework? Potions, right?" she asked, wondering where this sudden talking spree came from, especially since she was talking to Sirius, a guy she had had a crush on since first year. True she had never spoken to him before, she had always been too nervous. It was way easier, she decided, to talk to him alone than with all his friends.

            "Yeah, actually. You wouldn't happen to be able to help me, would you?"

            And that is how Gwynne Smith and Sirius Black met…and how they were found by Lily and James when they rushed into the common room at some obscenely late hour.

!

            "Well, James, I suppose we had better go on back to the dorms. It'll be hell trying to get past Filch and Mrs. Norris," Lily said getting up. They had been lying on their backs side by side on the field.

            "Oh how you underestimate me," James sighed as he stood.

            "You mean you brought the cloak?" she asked.

            "Yes, and the map. What kind of marauder do you think I am?" he asked her arrogantly.

            "The best kind, now let's go, I'm really tired," she insisted.

            "Patience is a virtue, Lily. Here get under the cloak," he said slipping it around her.

            "How you guys pull pranks off under this thing I will never understand, it's just so hard to move under here."

            "It takes practice, but we've been doing it for so long I guess we just don't ever notice anymore."

            While they were talking they had been walking towards the castle. It was a rather long walk to the front doors, but they were going at a brisk pace. Now they had come to the front door and were slipping in. They silently crept along, very aware that one wrong move could create noise and that would bring Filch running. Now they had passed the Great Hall, now they were going through a secret passage. James continuously kept an eye on the map to make sure they wouldn't run into anyone. Now the library was far behind them, pretty soon they would come to the Fat Lady's portrait. Once they came to the corridor she was at the end of, James put the map away, and, as quietly as possible, they continued.

 It was because of their so practiced stealth that they were able to hear the slight murmuring coming from an opened classroom near the common room. They would have continued had they not heard Lily's name mentioned.

            "That Lily Evans makes me just want to scream and hurl at the same time," a strangely familiar voice whispered harshly.

            "I know, she is totally the perfect target for this," another voice added..

            "She's close with all of them, and that's the best thing that could have happened…" a new voice pointed out.

            "So what are we going to do about her?"

            "Oh, I think I have the perfect thing…"

            But before Lily and James could figure out exactly what the voices were planning or who the voices were for that matter, they heard a slight 'mrow' and knew Mrs. Norris was nearby, so they quickly headed to the Fat Lady, whispered the password, and stumbled into the common room.

            To find Sirius and Gwynne talking together, a sight neither had been prepared to see.

            "Hey guys," Sirius said after a moment of shocked silence.

            "You won't believe what we just heard," James said.

            "What is it?" Gwynne asked, hopping off the couch she and Sirius had been sitting on and hurrying over to Lily, who was looking extremely pale.

            After relaying the conversation James and Lily sat down on the couch with Sirius, Gwynne sitting again beside Lily.

            "But who was it?" Sirius asked.

            "We don't know, but it sounded familiar. And strangely, it was hard to tell whether the voices were male or female because of all the whispering," Lily said.

            Just then, the portrait hole opened once again and in stepped Jackie.

            "Hey peeps, what's going on? Some party no one informed me of I suppose," Jackie kidded coming over to her friends.

            "Someone's plotting against Lily," Sirius bluntly informed her. Jackie dropped into the chair behind her.

            "What?"

            So for the second time they explained what happened.

            "And we don't know who it was, or even if they were boys or girls because of all the whispering," James concluded.

            "Well you know who it sounds like," Jackie said. Gwynne nodded, and Lily seemed to know who Jackie was going to say.

            "Of course we do, but are they really that mean?" Lily asked.

            "Who knows?" Jackie said.

            "Who are you talking about?" James asked.

            "Dur, Katy and her gang of course," Jackie said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

            "Ohhh…." Sirius said.

            "Everyone knows they have a strong disdain for Lily and Jackie because they're such good friends with you guys, and Katy and them are like, your fan club," Gwynne pointed out. Lily and Jackie were slightly taken aback by her openness but continued just the same.

            "But still, I don't think they'd really take a grudge this far," Lily said.

            "Well, there is one way we could find out," James said.

            "Oh?"

            "You could just go up and check their beds."

            Jackie was up in a moment hurrying to the girls' dorm. About ten minutes later she came back down, slightly flushed from running.

            "Well?"

            "Three of them were there, but guess who was missing. I'll give you a hint: it starts with a 'K' and ends with an 'aty'."

A/n: Well, there we go, a very interesting little plot thingy I just thought of!!! I'm so proud of myself! Not only for that, but for getting this thing typed so soon! It took two days!!! A record for me a believe, especially considering I hadn't really planned for this chappie at all! Well please review, and I believe I'll do thank yous next chapter!!

BF


	7. Quidditch, Bars, and Almost Maybe a Look...

            A/N: Hey everyone! I know it's been like…a long time since I last updated so I apologize sincerely and hope you enjoy this fun chapter:)

Disclaimer: yeah, sadly I own don't own anything Harry Potter related…

"Potter has the quaffle. He passes it to Longbottom; swings around a bludger hit by Ferguson, past Cradshaw…Longbottom throws to Spinnet, who does a turn around and passes back to Potter. Potter's going to score! Wait, he fakes it passes it to Spinnet who throws it in…AND TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!" cried the very excited announcer, Mr. John Henderson of Hufflepuff. John had been the commentator of the Quidditch games since second year because of his extreme knowledge of the sport, and his poor execution of it. Most of the Quidditch players had felt quite guilty about not having him play, especially the Hufflepuffs, and so they had come up with this ingenious idea: he would commentate. Probably a better role for him, and he certainly enjoyed it much better than he had ever enjoyed Quidditch in the first place.

            James was currently trying very intently to drown out John's voice. It's very hard to concentrate on what you're doing and how the rest of the game is going at the same time. However, he had mastered the skill of tuning out long ago.

            James had been on the Gryffindor team since second year. He loved the sport; he was an expert flyer and chaser, although he admired more the position of keeper. He was also a great team player, and usually never scored. After all he was much better at setting up his fellow chasers for the shot. That didn't mean, however, that he didn't make an excellent point every now and again…. He was unofficially the official co-captain of the team. It was something the captain, Arabella Figg, had come up with. Why wait until you're captain? Start preparing ASAP, was her theory. Therefore, she chose James, as he was the best candidate for the position, to be her co-captain, and to help prepare him for when she left her post.

            "Looks like Ravenclaw has the ball! Cradshaw is off! Hurtling down the field with quaffle in hand! Right along side her, her teammates, Patil and Freeman are setting up a magnificent…oh but wait! Looks like Figg and Morrow have worked their magic again!"

            The 'magic' he was referring to was what everyone had begun to call Arabella's and Jackie's method of play. As anyone who knows anything about the game of Quidditch the beater position was usually filled by your strongest players. Thus, boys almost always beat girls out in that position, because boys are physically stronger than girls. (Damn that testosterone!) Gryffindor's team broke that stereotype. Ok, well maybe they didn't break it; they just found a way around it. Jackie and Arabella were definitely not the strongest people on the team, but it was common knowledge that women were sneakier than men. (hehe) So Arabella's and Jackie's approach was much more planned and took a lot more skill than some guys hitting a ball when they saw a chaser or seeker or keeper or whatever needed some help.

            Jackie had joined the team in third year. She was exactly what Arabella needed. Together they developed their fool-proof method of play, as I mentioned before. Arabella would circle in one corner of the field, and Jackie would circle in the other. They would take themselves far enough out of the way of the game to clearly assess their situation, but not far enough so they couldn't fly up out of no where and help out the chasers/keeper/seeker. From their position they would pass a bludger (they always immediately found at least one) back and forth, like tennis, hitting the opponents that got in the way of their game. Every now and then they would see one of their teammates in danger of being hit by another bludger, or the other chasers able to score; then the closest one to the 'scene of the crime' would swoop down and take care of it. At least that's what they did when they weren't executing one of their plays, but that, alas, is top secret information.

            "And it looks like Black has done another spectacular save for Gryffindor, and Potter's snagged the quaffle!"

            Sirius Black had been on the team, like Jackie, since third year. He had tried out for chaser, but had made keeper, something James had been slightly jealous about. He had the perfect build for a keeper: very agile and quick thinking when a ball was flying toward your goal. He would do just about anything to stop the quaffle, especially when it was very hard to stop. Once he had almost jumped off his broom, but luckily for him, he had been able to move fast enough to get it before it went in. He became a whole different person when he was in the game; a person you really wouldn't want to mess with…

            "Nice save, Sirius!" Lily screamed from the stands.

            Lily Evans was a very devoted fan, who knew only a little about the game, but loved to scream and cheer. She didn't love Quidditch by any stretch of the imagination, but she did love to cheer her friends on, it was the most exciting thing for her. She had tried playing Quidditch with James once (he had begged and begged) and decided she stunk, but he was great, so she'd just be sure to yell for him, or whatever good players there were. She had a good eye for talent.

            "Come on Remus, Peter, Gwynne help me cheer!" she cried, looking back at the two remaining Marauders and bookworm.

            Remus Lupin, contrary to Lily, loved Quidditch. He was a mediocre player, but probably could have been just as good a chaser as James, had he been able to play. Unfortunately, by doctor's orders, although no one seemed to know why, he wasn't allowed to. That didn't mean he didn't stop by at a few practices every now and again…

            "Why can't you just sit and enjoy the game in peace?" Peter asked her.

            "Because it's just so much fun to cheer!"

            Peter Pettigrew had an extreme dislike for Quidditch. Why? I don't know, and he probably didn't know either, but if I had to guess, it would most likely be because his father had always wanted him to play it; the only other thing Peter hated worse than Quidditch in this world was his father. Why? I couldn't even begin to guess. Of course, his friends had no idea of his intense dislike of the sport; he would never have thought about telling them. Sometimes you just have to have your privacy, and he knew if he told them they'd want to know why. If Peter knew one thing, he knew that asking why only led you to things you didn't want to hear.

            "I just don't understand this game," Gwynne said, looking up the book she had been reading.

            Gwynne Smith, being half and half, new all about Quidditch, but didn't understand any of it. She had never really gone to a game before, because she had no reason to. Lily had begged and begged her to come to this one, so she wouldn't have to be up in the stands with just Remus and Peter. So Gwynne had come, but she had brought a book, _Anna Karenina_ by Leo Tolstoy, because she knew she wasn't going to be paying any attention to the game itself. Although Lily did make it very hard to concentrate on Anna's troubles with Vronsky while she was screaming 'Go Gryffindor' every five seconds.

            "Oh, it's a very easy concept," Lily said and began to explain. When she finished Gwynne just looked at her.

            "Riight…I'll go back to the love affair…" Gwynne said resuming her former position.

            "Walker is making a dive! She must see the snitch! But Harris is coming up on her fast! She's leaning forward and…YES! GRYFFINDOR WINS 200-50!"

            "Ooh! Yay!" Lily said as she, Gwynne, Remus and Peter headed down to meet their Quidditch playing friends. "We're going to Hogsmeade tonight!"

            "Why is that?" Gwynne asked. Being new to their little group she had no idea what Lily was talking about.

            "Oh, that's right, Gwynne's never been to an after game celebration," Lily said, "Ok, and well I think it began in third year, when Jackie and Sirius joined the team. After every Gryffindor win, and there are a lot of them, we go to celebrate at the Three Broomsticks and at the end of last year, because James and I had discovered that wonderful thing called alcohol over winter break, we went to the bar down the street. That was so much fun; we've got to do that tonight."

            "Wait, how exactly, do we get into a bar? Don't they check ID?" Gwynne asked.

            "That's the beautiful thing about magic, Gwynne," Lily said slinging an arm around her friend, "You can make wonderful fake IDs," then turning her attention to Remus, "So do you think we'll go?"

            "We probably will, it being the first win of the season. I imagine James will want to bring Elizabeth, too," Remus answered while they battled their way through the crowd.

            Ah, yes. Elizabeth Moore, the fifth year Hufflepuff, James's most recent girlfriend, and the girl he had alluded to when he and Lily had had their talk on the Quidditch pitch. It was a nice, or bad depending on whose perspective you looked at, surprise to find out that they were going out, but not because she_ the girl_ for him. She was pretty, nice, quiet, but not shy, intelligent, all of that, of course. But what was really surprising was that James couldn't find anything wrong with her.

            You see, James, Lily had found, seemed to choose girls to date that were perfectly normal, but in his mind, completely wrong for him. They were either too smart, too dumb, too pretty, too nice, too mean, didn't care enough, cared too much, too talkative, too quiet, etc. Yes, James was a sickeningly picky person when it came to girls, at least girls he was dating.

            So when James came into the common two weeks ago and announced they were going out, it was quite a shock to his friends that he had not been able to find one thing to complain about since they started dating.

            Needless to say Lily had had a few confrontations with the green-eyed monster christened Jealousy.

"Don't you guys think they look just so cute together?" Gwynne asked not realizing that that was the last thing Lily wanted to think about.

"Uh…" Remus began.

"As guys, I don't think we'd better answer that question," Peter finished for him.

"What about you Lily?" Gwynne questioned.

"Oh, sure. They look just adorable."

            _Maybe I shouldn't go to Hogsmeade tonight…_

!

"Ravenclaw was a push-over this year," Jackie said as the group sat down at their usual table in the Three Broomsticks.

"Well, they did have to get a lot of new players; half their team graduated," Sirius pointed out as he sat down next to James.

"Plus, you guys played great!" Lily said sliding into the booth next to Jackie. Remus took the seat beside Lily, and Peter scooted in beside Sirius.

"Yeah, at least from what I saw, but then, I'm not really the best judge," Gwynne added.

            Just then a waitress came up to take their orders.

            "Hmm…I think we'll have butterbeers all around, right?" Remus asked looking around at all the nodding heads.

            "Alrighty, I'll be right back then."

            "So, Lily, James, will there be any dances this year?" Elizabeth asked trying to start a conversation.

            "Hmm…the heads are thinking about it actually, but then, Professor Dumbledore said something about a tight budget," Lily informed.

            "That doesn't mean we won't keep pushing for it, though. It's only fair, as half the student body, meaning all the girls, want to have one," James added.

            "That's gender-biasism," Gwynne said.

            "Excuse me, but is biasism even a word?" Remus asked her. He seemed to be dealing pretty well with his rejection, especially as Gwynne had been apart of their little group for the past month or so.

            "That's beside the point," Gwynne said.

            "The point being…?" Sirius asked. Gwynne sighed.

            "Nevermind, go on, finish discussing the dance…"

            "Wouldn't it be great if there was one though?" Jackie asked to continue their conversation after that dead end.

            "Oh yes, the out come would be great, but the work behind it: that would be hell," Lily said. She knew from experience that planning a big social event was a hectic affair, especially when your parents don't plan _anything_ and you have to plan around their schedule.

            "But it would all be worth it," Elizabeth said, "I think it would be wonderful if there was a dance. We hardly get any other form of entertainment. Well, besides Hogsmeade weekends, and sneaking out to Hogsmeade of course."

            "Perhaps that's what we need," James said as if he suddenly had a great idea. Upon seeing the others had no idea what he was talking about he explained, "We need another form of entertainment. Dances are great for being formal, but what about something casual…"

            "Ooh, I see what you're saying! We'll have to bring that up at our next prefect meeting," Lily said excitedly.

            Before they could continue the conversation, however, their butterbeers arrived and so the topic was lost. They continued to chat about this and that like friends do, making a very interesting conversation to look back on. Finally, when everyone had finished drinking, Sirius brought up the question he, and Lily though she acted as if she didn't care, most wanted an answer to.

            "So, who's up for going to the bar?"

            "Ah yes, what better things have we got to do than get drunk with you guys?" Jackie asked.

            "Nothing, that's why I know you'll come," Sirius answered.

            "It was a rhetorical question."

            "It was a yes."

            "Very well then."

            "Anyone else?"

            The rest agreed to come, and so they followed a very delighted Sirius out the door after paying their tab.

!

            "Come on, Gwynne! Why aren't you dancing?" a drunk Jackie Morrow asked the girl who was trying to not be noticed in the corner of the music pounding bar.

            As Lily had told her, they had all magically made fake IDs that had worked extremely well in getting them into the bar.

            "I don't dance," she answered over all the noise. She was feeling incredibly uncomfortable in this place. Her friends had noticed, but hadn't worried anything about it telling themselves it was most likely her first time in a bar. While it was that, it was not only that. The bar wasn't what was making her nervous: her nervousness was caused by all the alcohol filled people.

            "Whoo, I better sit down with you. I have a feeling tomorrow isn't going to be a very happy day," Jackie said as she slid into a chair rubbing her temples. She could already tell they were all going to have killer hangovers the next morning.

            "Are you alright, Jackie? Do you think you should head back to Hogwarts?" Gwynne asked worriedly.

            "No, I'm fine. You really should go out there and dance," Jackie advised.

            "But I don't know anyone…it would be weird," Gwynne said scanning the dance floor.

She saw that Lily seemed to be having a blast, dancing with some strange hottie. Lily was the type of person, Gwynne supposed, that was comfortable under almost any circumstance. Even when drunk and dancing with a guy probably ten years older than her, she seemed to have everything under her control.

James and Elizabeth were not only dancing, but making out on the floor. Gwynne was pretty sure they were both pretty drunk, and probably, if they weren't broken up soon, things might start getting a little hot and heavy in some back room…

 Remus, who Gwynne had thought wasn't the party type of person, was having a drink, but before he had been dancing with Jackie. Jackie had told her earlier that she and Remus were always dancing partners for some reason or other.

And Sirius, yes he was definitely having a wonderful time. He was dancing now, but every ten minutes he'd go have a drink and start chatting up another girl. Gwynne was trying not to notice this, however.

"That's the best part about it! Alright, if you really don't want to dance with a stranger, hold on a minute," with that Jackie stood up and made her way through the throng of dancing people. A few minutes later she returned with a slightly tipsy Sirius Black.

            "Jackie says you need someone to dance with," Sirius explained.

            "Yes, she does, don't listen to her protests!" Jackie said hauling Gwynne up and handing her over to Sirius as Gwynne began to pour out excuses.

            "Really, I don't want to… you don't have to…" she began, but it was too late. Sirius had led her out on the dance floor and she had no idea what to do.

            "Just relax; dancing is supposed to be fun."

!

            Lily was wasted, she knew. She knew why too. She had definitely been right at the game: she shouldn't have come to Hogsmeade tonight. Unfortunately she hadn't listened to the smart side of her brain.

            At the Three Broomsticks all was well. James and Elizabeth weren't making out; in fact they weren't really touching at all.

Now, however, they were having a wonderful game of tonsil hockey. That's what had made Lily start drinking more than she knew she should. It's also what made her start dancing with that twenty-eight-year-old guy that had been hitting on her.

So when a crazy drunk guy started spraying water, from who knows where, at everyone, she did a lot of things she was sure she would have regretted…had she been able to remember them.

!

            Indeed, the next morning was terrible for the members of the party that had been drinking, which included everyone, minus Gwynne. Gwynne was also the only one with a clear memory of the preceding evening.

            "Geez, Gwynne, what did we do?" Lily asked her when they had all, with the exception of Elizabeth who was in her own common room, some how gathered in the Gryffindor common room, thanking the Almighty it was a Saturday. They were all sprawled out on some item of furniture or other while Gwynne brewed a hangover killer for them.

            "I don't think you want to know. I know, and I'm wishing I was drunk so I didn't have to," Gwynne said.

            "Was it that bad?" James asked from his position on the couch.

            "Yes, it was, although I'm sure you all had a lot of fun. I did, at least until I got soaked, no I will not tell you how because then you would want to know more, and I wasn't even wasted. Now look! The potion's finished. I must warn you, it's going to taste exceptionally disgusting," she said as she poured some for everyone.

            "We don't care," Remus said reaching for a cup.

            "Just don't spit it out," she said as she watched them make faces as they swallowed the nasty purple liquid.

            "Funny," Sirius began, "I always remembered it tasting much better."

!

            About a week after the Quidditch game Gwynne was doing some late night reading in the library. She would have been in the common room, but it had gotten much too noisy for her tastes. So she had headed down to the library to try and finish _Anna Karenina_ before the next day.

            Two hours after she first sat down, she finally was able to shut the book. It was while she was hopping up and starting towards the door that she heard some people whispering behind the Restricted Section shelves.

            "I still don't get why we can't do it _now_. We have access to her dorm," said a particularly whining voice.

            "We can't do it now because if we just burst into her dorm and try to carry out the plan, _someone_ would probably wake up, and then where would we be? Trouble. Do we want trouble?" answered a decidedly feminine voice.

            "No, but do we really have to wait a _month!_ That's ages away," the first voice asked.

            "Personally, I think it's worth the wait. Lily Evans won't know what hit her," a third voice said. That voice sent chills up Gwynne's spine.

            "We'd better go, before the library closes," the second voice said.

            Gwynne, realizing they were gathering their things and that if she didn't move, she'd be seen. Quickly she slunk back in the darkness of one of the unlit rows of shelves, so she'd be able to get a good look at the girls, because their voices were definitely girls', who were plotting against her friend.

A/n: Well at least it was a long chapter, even if it did take some time to update on it! Oh yes, and I believe some thank yous are destined for this chapter…

But I'm very sad cause I only got 1 review for chapter six:(  and 2 for chapter five:( so that means that I want a lot more for chapter seven!!!! Lol, ok any way I would really like to thank:

**Freakyfronggurl22- **thanks for thinking my story is so awesome, and I'm sorry for the long wait!

AND:

**dr. z-** thanks for thinking my story's original, it's nice to hear that considering how many l/j fics there actually are out there!

So now please REVIEW!

Beauty Full


	8. A Development

            A/n: AHHHHHHH!!!!!! I'M SOOOO SORRY!!!!!! Really though I am. Firstly I've made all my wonderful reviewers wait an excruciatingly long time (2 months). Being an avid reader of fanfiction myself I know how infuriating it is when authors don't update. I also know just how annoying it is when they make u wait forever and then post a short chapter…so all I can say is that I'm really sorry, and that I curse writer's block, and HP number Five, not b/c it was bad, but b/c it caused the writer's block…but n e way enjoy!

P.S. I didn't feel like reading it over so if there r mistakes, kindly ignore them

Disclaimer: Same old same old…

"Sirius, will you please play chess with me?" Lily asked in a whiny voice.

            "Do I have to?" he asked back in just as whiny a voice.

            "Yes," Lily said.

            "Fine."

            "Yay!" with that she jumped up and brought her set over.

            Unfortunately, before they were able to begin the game, Gwynne rushed in.

            "Lily," she said out of breath from running all the way back from the library.

            "Yes, Gwynne? Were you running?" Not heeding the second question, Gwynne continued.

            "Lily, you know how you and James heard those people who didn't like you, and like, wanted to get back at the Marauders or whatever?"

            "Yeah," Lily was suddenly very attentive.

            "I know who they are."

            Lily's eyes snapped up at her friend, wide with surprise. Sirius, who hadn't really been following the conversation, certainly heard the last part and was looking his share of shocked as well.

            "Who is it?" Lily asked. Gwynne would have answered too, if Jackie hadn't walked in at just that moment.

            "Who's what?" Jackie asked sitting down in a nearby chair.

            "Who's going to attack Lily," Sirius clarified.

            "Sirius, we don't know if they're going to attack her," Gwynne said exasperated.

            "Does it matter what they are going to do? Who are they?" Lily asked irritated.

            "It's Narcissa Black, Helen Marion, and…" Gwynne paused a moment, "Katy Hall."

            "So it really is Katy that's behind it!" Jackie cried, "But what are they going to do…and how do you know all this?"

            "Well, I don't think Katy is the one that had the _idea_, per say, but she certainly is behind it," Gwynne replied to the first question, "And I have no idea _what_ they're doing, but I do know that they're doing it in a month or so from now. And I know all of this,"  Gwynne finished in a disturbingly ubiquitous voice, "Because I heard them talking about it behind a shelf in the library."

            "Heard who talking about what behind a shelf in the library?" Remus asked as he, James, and Peter came down the steps from the boys' dormitory.

            "Ugh! Why can't you people all just…stay together or something?!" Gwynne cried falling into the chair that was behind her and looking quite exasperated. All of them were a little speechless considering they had never seen Gwynne look so stressed.

            "Ok, will somebody else answer my perfectly innocent question?" he asked eyeing Gwynne with a little uncertainty.

            "We found out Narcissa, Helen, and Katy are going to kill Lily next month," Sirius supplied.

            "Wow, Sirius, you have such a way with words," Jackie quipped sarcastically.

            "I know."

!

            So it was decided that Lily shouldn't be left alone at any long period of time during the next month. Even if the whole thing was just some misunderstanding (but really how could it be?) it was better to know Lily was chatting with Gwynne and Jackie instead of being hacked into tiny pieces by Narcissa, Helen, and Katy.

            Of course, the entire ordeal was making all of them just a little…shall we say paranoid? But of course they referred to their over attentiveness to all the little teeny tiny details as vigilance not the 'p' word (as they now chose to call it). All seven of them were feeling a little…on edge those few weeks. It didn't really help that that month was the one before Christmas holidays, and that of course always means, exams. So on top of being slightly paranoid on Lily's behalf, they also had the teachers shoving tons upon tons of homework, reviews, and really hard and complicated stuff at them.

            So in all honesty, you could really say it wasn't _wholly_ Sirius's fault for what he did when he finally snapped. Alright…maybe you could blame him _just a little itty bitty bit…_

!

            "You know I wish they would just attack her and get all this waiting shit over with," Sirius complained one night as he and the other three Marauders returned from a nice night out at Hogsmeade. They had all definitely needed it, and the girls had been more than delighted to have them out of the way so that they could enjoy another wonderful girls' night.

            "What a lovely wish," James cynically replied to Sirius's remark.

            "Well, I would rather be furious over what they did than waiting for it to happen."         

            "Worried for your little mudblood friend?" a voice none of them wanted to hear at the moment, or any moment really, asked. All four of them stopped in their tracks and turned around as Severus Snape stepped out from the shadows.

            "Excuse me, did we hear you correctly?" James asked, "Because I could have sworn at one of our last…encounters, we explicitly reminded you _not_ to call her that."

            "I wouldn't be too much in a hurry to wish her ill-wishers on her. They mean business," Snape commented as if he hadn't heard what James had said.

            "Did we ask you to join our conversation?" Sirius asked. He always got a little more than annoyed at all of their confrontations with Slytherins, especially this one.

            "No need to get all worked up, Black. I was merely commenting. But back to the real reason I was here. Being out past curfew will certainly lose you a few house points," he absently stated.

            "Report us then. Now that that's over, we'll be on our way," Remus said hoping to avoid any physical contact.

            "Hurrying off to your monthly escape, Lupin? I'm sure the professors would love to know what you're up to," Snape idly stated, apparently enjoying their frustration.

            "I'm sure _you_ would love to know what he's up to, however, that information is classified, so we'll be going now," Peter said, realizing it probably would be best to leave before Sirius got too worked up as he always did when Snape began to get inquisitive about Remus's disappearances.

            So they all turned to go, with the exception of Sirius. In his pocket was a tiny slip of paper that James had written to remind him of the next full moon after the break considering the one for December would be during the break.

            "One day, Snape, you're going to wish you never asked that question," and while he turned to go he accidentally-on-purpose let that little bit of paper fall out of his pocket.

!

            "One more day!" Lily sighed as she sank into one of the numerous armchairs in the Gryffindor common room. It was after dinner and the seven were hoping to enjoy a quiet evening of idle chit-chat.

            "One more! Can you believe it? Winter break is already here!" Jackie mused as she too sat down.

            "Ah, it will be nice to get up at dawn every morning, instead of having to wake up early," Gwynne said taking her place beside Jackie.     

            "You are insane. How can you wake up that early, and still be…normal?" Sirius asked her.

            "You know…I don't know. I suppose it's a gift," she pondered in answer to his question.

            "Or a curse, especially if you room with her," Jackie added.

            "So says the late riser?" asked Remus with no intent of an answer.

            "So who all is staying over Christmas?" James asked.

            "Well, Petunia owled me the other day," Lily informed him, "Our dear parents are on their way to Hawaii for a nice tropical Christmas. Petunia said it is up to us if we want to come home or stay here, but she did say she would be so lonely without our wonderful company over the holidays. Needless to say, we're not on the list."

            "As always I will be heading home for the hols. This year we are having a family reunion, and I can already tell what kind of hell that's going to be," Jackie said.

            "I'm staying," Gwynne stated shortly not wanting to add needless reasons.

            "And as per usual I will be remaining here for the holidays," Sirius said.

            "Mum did say it was my choice, but I told her I would be coming home this year," Remus replied.

            "I'm heading home as well," Peter said.

            "So it looks as if it will just be Sirius and Gwynne staying?" Lily said knowingly, "Hopefully you'll get the dorm to yourself, Gwynne, wouldn't it be awful to have to stay all Christmas with Katy and them? Especially as we all know what Katy has been doing in her spare time…"

            "I checked the list; she's not on it," Gwynne replied, "And do you know, it's almost been a month, perhaps their threats were empty."

            "Don't be so sure, there is still tomorrow, and who knows? Maybe they'll wait until after the holidays," Jackie pointed out.

            "Ok, let's get off this morbid topic. I have a wonderful idea!" Sirius said happily.

            "I'm almost afraid to ask, but, what is your idea, Sirius?" James asked.

            "I won't say all of it here, but it involves naked boys on cows and homosexual pigs…"

!

            So the next day was a day of departure; a rather depressing day considering they knew they wouldn't be seeing each other for another three weeks. And while Gwynne was sad to see five of her new friends go, she couldn't help but be happy that she would be spending the next three weeks practically alone with Sirius Black.

            Once the train pulled off he turned to her.

            "So I guess it's just you and me?" She smiled as they turned to head back to the castle.

            "Yeah, I guess it is."

A/n: well I suppose that's the best I can do for now n e ways. Please review, and suggestions for what the bad ppl could do to lily would be greatly appreciated as I have no idea what I'm going to have them do! Once I figure that out I shouldn't be long in posting the next chapter so until then

Beauty Full


	9. Christmas is here!

            A/n: so, it wasn't too long on the update this time. And guess what! I've gotten over 50 reviews! I know in comparison to some stories this isn't a lot, but I've never gotten this many reviews for a story, so I'm excited! Ok, well, hope ya enjoy this chapter, there's a little fluff there at the end for the romance kiddies:)

Disclaimer: ya, I own nothing, cept my originals, and we all know who they are…

Scuffling was heard, hissed whispers of "hush" and "shut-up" were mixed in as well as three shadows met in the dark, dreadful dungeons. 

"Are all the preparations ready?"

            "Everything's good to go."

"We'll be able to carry out the plan as soon as she returns to the castle."

"Eight days left."

            "Excellent."

!

            Sirius Black had to be the funniest guy Gwynne had ever met. They had spent everyday together, and every day Gwynne grew to love him even more; if she didn't know any better, she might say he was beginning to be fond of her as well. At the current moment they were in the kitchen to satisfy Sirius's never-ending need for food.

            "I think I've got enough, so we can head back up to the common room," Sirius said his arms, and hers too, full of various snacks.

            "We only ate dinner two hours ago," Gwynne said on the way back to the Fat Lady's portrait. All through the castle you could see signs that Christmas Eve was here. Fur trees up in every corner, and the Great Hall entirely decked out in its Christmas wear. It was even going to be a white Christmas. All Gwynne could think was 'Beautiful, wonderful, glorious!'.

            "I know! Isn't it awful? They really should have a meal in between breakfast and dinner."

            "Yes, but then when would you sleep?" Gwynne asked logically calculating, "You couldn't have it too soon after dinner, because then hardly anyone would be hungry, so that knocks out eight, nine, and ten o'clock, but any later and everyone will be too tired to eat. We'd all become insomniacs."

            "Has anyone ever told you that you think things through way too much?" he asked her.

            "No actually. I've never had to think anyone's crazy ideas out for them before," Gwynne replied, silencing Sirius with her implied meaning, and then added as they had come to the entrance of the Gryffindor common room, "Lemnos."

            They set everything they had brought on the floor in front of the best of the squishy couches, pulled down all the pillows, and then sat down and began to eat. Sirius, however, must have had an idea because he suddenly jumped up, mumbled a few indistinct words between his mouthfuls of food and then ran up to his dormitory.

            Gwynne, utterly startled, could only sit and wait for his return. Slowly chewing her food, she began to wonder how her life had changed so quickly. All because of a conversation with Lily, for no apparent reason, she now had friends, and was even spending Christmas with the boy she had been in love with for the past five years. All because of one conversation? It was just too good to be true. But what exactly had brought that conversation on…? Her thoughts were interrupted by the stampede of elephants, by the name of Sirius, coming down the stairs.

            With him he had a bottle that looked suspiciously like it contained wine.

            "Sirius, what is that? And why do you have it?" Gwynne asked rather alarmed as she recognized the label. Alcohol always made her a little edgy (for example the bar incident), and for good reason, though that's to come later…

            "The best of wizarding wine, of course. And I have it to celebrate, it is Christmas Eve after all…"he said as he settled back down.

            "Do you really have to drink? Wouldn't it be better if you just stayed sober?" Gwynne asked. Sirius was right with one thing, it was Christmas Eve, and she'd be damned if another Christmas was ruined by something as trivial as alcohol.

            "Oh, come on, Gwynne. Celebrating is so much more fun when you get a little tipsy," Sirius said with a wink and mischievous grin.

            "Sirius, I don't drink, and I don't intend to. Alcohol is not something that I would want, for a damn celebration or otherwise," Gwynne stated. Rarely ever did she curse aloud, but when she did it meant she was either extremely nervous, or getting extremely mad.

            "Just a few glasses won't kill anybody… or get them all that drunk either," Sirius said. He could tell she was getting nervous and angry. He was getting a little frustrated himself, but it wasn't really the fact that she didn't want to drink; it was more because she didn't want him to either, and he was feeling rather guilty about wanting to in the first place. He couldn't understand two things: one, why she cared so much about the alcohol, and two, why her worry and fear was affecting him so much.

            "No, but it can make a person hate you." She stood and was heading toward her dormitory stairs when he stopped her with a pull on her arm. Sighing,

            "Fine, fine, if it means so much to you…I'll put it up and save it for something else, ok?"

            She nodded.

            "Well, let's sit back down then. What kind of Christmas Eve would it be if we spent it alone?"

!

            "Ok, I have a question. If you were dying at this very moment and had to see one last person, who would it be?" Gwynne asked. It was a few hours later, and they were enraptured with a game of Qs and As.

            "The best Healer St. Mungo's can offer, because then he and/or she would be able to cure me," Sirius said after a few minutes of thought, "Ok, my turn. If you were dying, by some _incurable_ disease, and got to see one last person, who would it be?"

            "My mom," Gwynne said hesitantly.

            "No explanation?" he asked.

            "You didn't ask for one," she pointed out, "And it's my turn again. If you lost a bet and had to go out with either James's girlfriend, Elizabeth, or a first year, who would it be?"

            "Hands down the first year, because dating your best friend's girlfriend is even lower than robbing the cradle," he answered promptly, "Next question: If you lost a bet and had to go out with either Snape or Lily who would it be?"

            "EW! Both are gross, but you should always date your friends, so faced with Snape I think I would definitely turn lesbo," Gwynne said cringing at the mental images and sending them both into a fit of laughter, and after she recovered she answered his question with, "My turn again. If you were dared to go out with James or Remus who would it be?"

            "That's easy, I don't ever choose dare, always truth," he replied, which caused her to get annoyed at having to choose and him laugh at her irritation. After they calmed down he continued in a more subdued manner, "Ok, this is a serious question, if you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?"

            Gwynne immediately knew the answer, the question was, if she wanted to tell Sirius or not.

            "My dad's leaving," she said after a long pause. By the look of his face, she knew he hadn't expected that, but before he could ask her anything she went on, "Same question."

            Sirius did want to ask her about her answer, but he knew that if he wanted to know about it, he would have to wait for her to explain on her own accord, and not on his prompting. So he decided to answer the question.

            "I would have wanted to have been adopted by the Potters," he said, his face solemn. Not wanting a serious mood to settle over them, he brightened up and added, "But let's not get into that subject now. It's Christmas Eve! Tomorrow we get presents!"

            "Yes, presents," Gwynne said quietly. She and Sirius had been talking for another two or three hours when she decided to call it a night and headed to her dorm. Her thoughts returned to the earlier subject.

            Presents. They were like foreign things to her. The last present she had ever received had been the Christmas before she turned eight. She distinctly remembered her favorite gift that year: a small silver locket given to her by her parents, together. Inside was a picture of both of them. The toys and other things she received were wonderful as well, but that locket beat them all. Had she known what would happen, she would have never let it leave her neck.

            Things had been so happy then; like a fairy tale almost. Her parents loved each other and her. She was a single child, and though it was lonely, it was worth being the center of attention, especially at the age of seven. She had practically everything she could ever wish for.

            But then…

            "No! I will not remember. There is no point in reliving what you cannot change," Gwynne said aloud to herself with a small shake of her head as she entered her dorm.

            _But it really was all Mother's fault…_No. No, she was not going down those awful roads tonight. It was Christmas Eve; a time for happiness and togetherness…and family.

            And while she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, all she dreamt about were beer bottles, suitcases, and broken lockets.

!

            Remus paced around the room. It was a week until his monthly "illness", and once again his mother was bringing him all the supposed cures, half-cures, and anything else that would hopefully help his lycanthropy. Potions, herbs, elixirs, anything and everything were used during this week before the horrible night. Unfortunately this year it happened to fall on Christmas. All other festivities were put on hold.

            He really wanted to be able to enjoy Christmas, not only for himself, but for his mother as well. They were all each other had now, because his father had died in the same attack that had given him his…condition. She insisted, however, on helping him to hopefully discover a cure, so they could enjoy this time together. But it always ended the same: no cure, and a week later it was time for the transformation.

            "One day," she always promised, "there'll be a cure, and all of this will be over."

            If only he could believe it.

            At least it couldn't get any worse, right? The full moon could have fallen on Christmas day, and not half a week after it.

            What kind of Christmas would that be?

!

            "Lily! Get up now! It's time for presents!" James cried bursting into her room.

            Lily's eyes snapped open, and she popped out of bed.

            "Presents! Yay! Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go!" she said delightedly grabbing his hand and pulling him down to the Evans' massive den. Underneath the ten foot Christmas tree sat tons of colorfully wrapped boxes.

            James and Lily rushed down the stairs to the tree where Petunia was already waiting, and proceeded to unwrap presents. They all received the usual gifts; a few clothes, some books here and there, assortments of candy, and a small collection of little odds and ends that were all useful for about a month or two after the holiday. But then again, it was the thought that count.

            "I think that's all of mine," Lily said as she finished undoing presents and profusely thanking Petunia for the small, decorative notebook and fluffy pen.

            "No, wait. Have you forgotten that the one and only James Potter has yet to give you his present?" James announced grandly

            "Wait, I thought she had already gotten yours…" Petunia said looking around trying to find some still wrapped present under the enormous amount torn wrapping paper.

            "No, I made sure it would be the very last," James said standing and hunting around the wall behind the tree. "Aha! Here it is!"

            And coming from around the tree with a box in his hand he presented it to her.

            "I thought it might come in handy," he said mysteriously as she ripped the paper off the gift. Underneath was a long, rectangular box, the kind that jewelry comes in. Opening it, she gasped. Inside was a gold and emerald bracelet. The semi-precious stones were cut in the shape of four leaf clovers, and each one was set in gold, linked to the others by little gold links.

            "Oh, James, it's beautiful! What do you mean it might come in handy?" she asked the whole time a smile on her face. He smiled.

            "It's not just an ordinary bracelet. Once you put it on it's rather like radar. It sends out little signals when you're happy, or sad, or whatever, to all the people who care about you most. Usually your friends and family and such won't be able to feel those vibes, but when you're feeling especially scared, or realize you are in a lot of danger, it sends out a particularly…evident vibe. It'll feel kind of like a pricking at the heart for all of us wonderful people who care for you. I thought it might be helpful, so that we don't have to worry quite so much about you," he explained as best as he could with hand motions and everything.

            "Oh, thanks so much James! I absolutely love it, and it'll be nice not having to be continuously followed by you guys," she said giving him a hug. _If only his answer could have been, "I love you, Lily, and this bracelet is a sign of our never ending love. What am I thinking? This is James, who has a girlfriend, and who is too much a guy to ever think of anything **that** romantic._

            "Alright, well now that all the gifts had been unwrapped let's clean up and get breakfast; I'm starving," Petunia said as Lily let go of James.

            "Ooh! Let's have fondu!"

!

            Jackie's vacation had been rather boring. The family reunion was…interesting to say the least. It was yet another reason why family was a pain in the ass 99.9% of the time. The .1% of the time it was helpful was always too hard to remember among all the annoying things family members put you through.

            Christmas was as it usually was at the Morrow house. The night before had been spent in drinking eggnog, playing childish board games (also known as bored games), and making a few finishing touches to the decorations. Then it was off to bed to wait for Santa Clause, according to Jackie's younger siblings.

Eleanor, Jackie's cousin that ticked a little on everyone's nerves, had been with them that year. Eleanor's parents found as many ways as possible to get away from that child. No one could understand it, she was pretty normal, but there was just something about her that made you want scream. Maybe it was her nasal voice…or slightly bossy manner…or…her snoring ability. You get the picture.

Eleanor had been particularly irritating this year because she had found out about make-up, and never ceased speaking of the stuff. Of course she was assigned to Jackie's room to sleep in, and to make poor Jackie's holiday even worse…she hadn't even got a letter from him, until Christmas morning that is.

But no, she wouldn't think about that too much, it made her remember what he had gotten her for Christmas. But…it was just so hard not to think about him!

            If she had been at Hogwarts things would have been a lot better. They would have gone off that morning to some empty classroom and exchanged gifts in a beautifully romantic way. (You may be asking…) What had he gotten her anyway? Any other girl would probably have melted at the sight of his gift to her, but Jackie was discovering she had a few…commitment issues. But he'd gotten her the ring…the ring…and a letter, spectacular letter, but the ring…

            No, it was best not to think about that, it only made her head ache.

            But why would he send her that? And ask her that?

            And why was it so hard for her to find the answer?__

!

            When Gwynne got down to the common room on Christmas morning, Sirius was already there opening presents like a madman. She and he had agreed that night to bring their gifts down there so they could open them together.

            "I thought the point of our agreement was so that we could show each other what we got, and I quote 'Share this special and sacred time together.'" she said as she approached.

            "Well, I got tired of waiting. I've been here for an hour at least," he said looking up as she sat beside him and lay out her slight pile of gifts.

            "But, it's only seven," she said checking her watch.

            "I know, and to think, we've wasted so much time," he said regretfully. She shook her head with silent laughter and continued to watch him open his presents, look at them for a bit, and then toss them to his new pile of opened presents. It was while she was looking at him with her head tilted to one side, studying him, that he looked over to her and caught her eye.

            "What?" he asked a smirk playing on his lips.

            "Nothing, nothing," she said blushing slightly at being caught staring and turning to her own gift pile.

            She decided to open Lily's gift first. It was in a small box with simple wrapping paper. Carefully undoing it, she found a small, old jewelry box with a note attached.

_Gwynne,_

_            Well, it's just you and Sirius for a whole winter holiday? All alone? If you're anything like I believe you to be, nothing will have happened…yet. I hope my gift makes this a morning you won't forget!_

_Love ya,_

_Lils_

            An eyebrow quirked in confusion as to what the gift could be, and a smile forming on her lips at the contents of the note, Gwynne carefully opened the lid of the box. She blushed crimson when she saw what was inside.

            She was going to just close the box back, because there was no way she was going to do what Lily was insinuating in sending her this. However, she didn't get a chance, because Sirius, who had finished with his presents, had seen her blush and grabbed the box before she could react.

            "And what's this?" he said smiling as he opened the box, and then laughing when he saw what was inside. "Well, it is Christmas tradition…"

            "No, that's only if you're standing under it," she said trying to get the box back, "Lily just sent it as a joke. Sirius please give it back!"

            "Yes, that's true," he said in reply of the first statement and ignoring the other two. Picking up his wand that was on the coffee table, he mumbled a simple charm under his breath in the direction of the gift box. When he finished, the gift jumped out of the box of its own accord and hovered in the air above them.

            "Now it's Christmas tradition," he said softly, and before she could respond he pulled her into a kiss under the mistletoe.

A/n: TA DA!!!!! Well well? What do ya think? Coming in the next chapter will be, what the hell are they going to do to Lily…and why is Gwynne so freakin up tight about alcohol! So tune in next time!!!

Anyway, it's late, and a school night, so if I'm supposed to do thank yous this chap., I'm really sorry, but we'll be waiting for the big 1-0 for those!

Wow, is the next chappie really number 10? Ooh! I'm sooo excited.

Well, all you wonderful, magnificent, breathtaking, superb, fantastic, amazing, brilliant reviewers, I would greatly appreciate a little review from all of you! (Look, I'm a poet, though I did know it…lol)

Yes, I am a little hyper, but look at this note, tootles for now!

Beauty Full


	10. Back to School

            A/N: OMG HAS IT BEEN FOREVER OR HAS IT BEEN FOREVER!!!! I know I know I know! I'm soooo horrible. I was just about going to let this story go…when I said to myself: No way! I've worked way too hard, and so many people really like it. And so I finished this chapter, which I've really been working on since the last update. I SWEAR! Anyways…I've also made a few _slight_ changes to the plot, check out chapter six, one, and I don't even know…you should probably just reread the whole thing if you haven't checked it out in awhile…I didn't change anything big…just a few inconsistencies and grammatical errors. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chappie!!!

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah… I don't own any Harry Potter related things…

The train pulled to a screeching halt making a sound similar to that of an angry dragon. As soon as it stopped completely and steam embezzled its engine, students began to exit, quickly creating a large mob of teenagers walking towards the castle while also laughing and catching up with friends they hadn't seen since before the holidays.

            Gwynne watched, silently, realizing when her friends all piled off that train, her life will have changed tremendously yet again. (That's twice in less than four months.) She could almost hear Lily's delighted squeal, and see Jackie's encouraging smile. The boys, she knew, would act almost indifferent, until later when they were all alone, but she could almost be positive she would see a mischievous gleam in James's eye, and a sincere look of approval in Remus's, and, most likely, a rather shocked expression would decorate Peter's. She didn't believe they would ever really know how much they meant to her.

            Sirius stood next to her with his arm casually around her waist as they patiently waited for their friends as the other students began to sift by them. He always did love a good surprise, especially when it was on other people.

            As they expected their five friends all tumbled out of the train with the rest of the students, all together, all laughing at something that must have been hilariously funny because Jackie was turning red and Lily couldn't seem to breathe. James, still laughing, was the first one to catch sight of them, and whether it was the laughter or genuine, a delighted smile formed on his face. Lily turned to see what he was looking at and did indeed admit a pleased squeal. Before long all the others had seen and were hurrying over to them.

            "Ooh! So, so? This is…?" Jackie said when they got in hearing distance. She waved her arms all around them and left her statement open.

            "I think all that need be said is that it _is_," Gwynne said almost nonchalantly, nevertheless an ecstatic smile was spread over her features causing her whole face to light up.

            "I take it my gift came in…handy?" Lily asked with a wink. A wide grin, even wider than the one he already had, if that's possible, appeared on Sirius's face at that question.

            "Lily, I am entirely indebted to you, so much so, in fact, that I can't find words to describe my pleasure," Sirius said elegantly. The others were, undoubtedly, completely oblivious to what the two were talking about

            "But come on," Gwynne said blushing slightly from mention of Lily's gift, "we've got to get back so you guys can regroup and then go down to dinner."

            "Dinner, yes, I'm starving," James said in an excited manner, pushing past the rest to lead the way to the castle.

!

            "It is so good to be back to Hogwarts," Jackie said after Professor Dumbledore finished his little speech, and everyone began to fill their plates with Hogwarts's delectable entrees.

            "Yes. Home away from home, no?" Remus commented while pouring himself a goblet of pumpkin juice.

            "I can't really say that I missed it," added Sirius grabbing a few rolls to put on his plate.

            "Don't be a smart ass, Padfoot," James replied as he leaned over to get some potatoes.

            "Don't use foul language at the table, Prongs," Sirius whipped back after taking a bite of the previously mentioned rolls.

            "Don't give me a reason to."

            "Don't tell me what to do."

            "Don't bicker, boys," joined Lily in her most matronly tone while taking a swig of her pumpkin juice.

            "Yes ma'am," in unison.

            "If two is company and three is a crowd…then what's four and five?" Jackie suddenly asked. All her friends shook their heads or shrugged their shoulders. "Nine!"

            Silence.

            "Wow, that really wasn't funny," Gwynne said.

            "Don't make fun unless you can do better," Jackie said patronizingly.

            "Now, now, why can't everyone just get along and eat dinner in an orderly manner?" Remus asked with a smile.

            "Because we don't wanna!" Jackie replied, "But anyways, I've got to go. I still have some last minute homework to catch up on."

            "You are so predictable, Jackie," Lily said laughing.

            "Yes, well, I'm sure you've had all yours done since the beginning of the break. Don't be hypocritical, Lily, it isn't becoming. See you guys later."

            The others went back to their miscellaneous conversation while she exited the Great Hall, none aware of the thoughts plaguing her mind.

!

            She needed a place where she could think—think long and hard. After the door of the Great Hall shut behind her, she stood still, not fully sure of where she wanted to go. Finally she decided to head to the girls' secret annex of sorts to try and sort out her dilemma. Winding corridors with high ceilings and passageways she had to crawl through were hardly seen by her eyes as she made her way to the hidden room. It seemed to take mere moments to Jackie, but in truth it took a good twenty minutes to reach the fifth floor's hidden corridor.

            Whispering the password and slipping inside she practically threw herself onto the nearest couch, which was luckily close enough for her to make it.

            She had come here to think about the response to his letter and…the ring. It had shocked her so much when she had opened up the small velvety box on Christmas morning and had seen the beautiful ring shining up at her. It practically screamed of his care and, dare she say it…his love. The stone it held was a beautiful sapphire, a stone that seemed to capture his essence and hers, now that she thought about it, so perfectly. The moment she had seen it, she had known it was an Ameor ring. She had done a report on them in Charms the year before and remembered what one particular book, _Magical Love_, had said about them.

            _Ameor rings are more than just an outward sign of a relationship. The rings are all made with a special charm wrought into the very medal of the band and minerals of the stone; a charm that causes a spiritual and mental connection between the sender and the receiver. Before ever putting on an Ameor ring, the wearer should be aware of all the risks involved. First, the ring will not come off until either of the wearers is dead or until all feelings between them subside. Secondly, the bond created cannot be undone, as the ring cannot be removed; the partners will be able to almost hear what the other is thinking when they are in close proximities. Thirdly, if the ring is put on when there are no true feelings, havoc ensues; cases vary in this area, but almost all end with hospitalization, if not death. However, such cases are a rarity, especially as witches and wizards are now aware of the risk. Before these risks were known many people put on the rings in sympathy for the givers and ended up with them being the ones to be pitied._

            Jackie pulled the velvet box out of her pocket and opened it. Carefully, she pulled the ring out of the case. She wasn't sure if she could take this step…not because she didn't love him.

            "No," she interrupted her thought, "No, I am positive I am in love with him; I am as sure of it as am that Lily is my best friend."

            Then she remembered what he had said in his letter.

_            I know this is a big commitment. Huge, in fact…almost as big as marriage, still I don't think it was wrong of me to give it to you. I'm not saying you have to put it on yet. Really, I wouldn't want you to, but I want you to have it…for when you're ready…for when we're both ready._

            She sat up and sighed.

            "I am only afraid to let him know."

!

            Lily hurried to the dorm room from the feast. Ever since dessert she had been feeling a little woozy, so she had excused herself and headed up to the Gryffindor common room. Something was wrong. She felt lightheaded and almost…faint? No, it couldn't be. Lily did not faint.

            Then her head began to pound, and the blood throbbed in her ears. Everything in front of her was going hazy. Jackie's bed was fading in and out of focus. _What is going on?_

            "There must have been something in my drink…" she mumbled as she fell onto her bed. As soon as her head hit the pillow the world went back; the last thing she remember seeing was an out-of-focus gold and emerald bracelet on her wrist.

            A person stepped out of the shadows as the red-headed girl lost consciousness.

            "Too bad she didn't realize that before she drank it."

!

            Upon their return to the Gryffindor common room, the Marauders had bid adieu to Gwynne and headed to their respective dorm. Not, as one would imagine, to sleep, but to prepare for a fatal event coming up in two weeks time. They did not officially retire until around twelve.

            However, before James was completely swept away into his dreams something terrible gripped his heart. He felt unexplainably scared; cold dread poured through him. Yet, he was safe in his bed…what had he to be afraid of?

            And then the fear stopped, and James began to drift off again…

            He sat straight up. The feeling had come back, and he had suddenly remembered what it meant.

            "Shit. Sirius," he jumped out of bed and over to his friend, "Sirius, get up, get up!"

            "It's not morning yet…" Sirius mumbled turning over.

            "Sirius get up! Lily's in trouble!" James practically yelled.

            "Hmm…" snuggling his head deeper in his pillow.

            "Oh hell," James said to himself and then cupped his hands around his mouth.

 "SIRIUS! SIRIUS! SIRIUS!!!"

            "WHAT??"

            "Finally, now get out of bed. Those girls have finally gone and done what they were planning," James said, hardly waiting for his friend to fully awaken.

            "What?"

            "They've taken Lily."

!

            It was cold and dark, she could tell without even opening her eyes. An evergreen, smoky fragrance filled her nose, and distant warmth licked the left side of her body. Wind whipped at the right side of her face, and the root-woven ground was underneath her. Her eyes opened and all she could see were treetops with a barely visible night sky. Then she heard the voices and saw the fire out of the corner of her eye.

            She attempted to sit up, but found she could not move anything from her neck down. Instead she lifted her head as high as she could and tried to see what was happening around her. It seemed as if this was just the motion the people around the fire were waiting for because one of them began to speak.

            "Lily Evans. It is so nice of you to join us," the voice said sarcastically.

            "Helen? Helen Marion? Is that you? And Narcissa and Katy…are you three insane?! You're going to get expelled for this!" Lily exclaimed. She really couldn't believe that the girls had actually gone through with what they were planning. What exactly had she done to them?

            "Aren't we all? I think it just depends on how you deal with your insanity that makes you sane or not…" Narcissa said slowly, "And this," here she motioned around her, "this is really just an expression of our feelings toward you. At least we aren't keeping our emotions bottled up!"

            "Exactly," Katy piped in.

            "Well…that explains _everything_," Lily replied cynically. _I've got to stall them. How am I ever going to get out of this mess?_

            "Really, Lily, this thing is only partly about you," Helen began. "You see, the three of us, while detesting you, also have our gripes about those wonderful prankster friends of yours…the Marauders, if you will. We won't get into the entire story with you, so to put it in a nutshell…we hurt you, it hurts them. Revenge is a sweet thing. But you know, we can't really truly hurt you physically without getting expelled, as you said."

            "So," Narcissa took up the narration, "We came up with another idea. What would be the worst thing for a friend to see their friend go through? Besides death, obviously."

            "And we thought," Katy continued, "Wouldn't it be horrible, if your friend didn't know you? If she didn't remember anything at all about her life? How do you help someone with that?"

            "A perfect solution," Helen said, "we won't get in trouble, because you won't be able to remember what happened…and then the poor Marauders will be so horribly upset! Isn't it wonderful? And you won't have any worries, because you'll be at St. Mungo's suffering form severe memory loss."

            All Lily could do was stare at them in incredulity. What kind of people were they anyways?

            "You can't be serious? I mean, have you even thought about what you're doing? You're ruining lives! This won't go away…it's permanent. And my friends already know you're doing; you could still be expelled," Lily cried.

            "They may know, but do they have solid evidence? No. Do you see them here? Trying to save you? No. They're safe in their beds. Not even dreaming about you," Narcissa pointed out. _She's right. How will they know where I am, even if they do realize that I'm gone…?_

            "Enough of the talk, let's get this over with," Katy said impatiently. They all three pulled out their wands and stood at her feet. It was then she noticed they hadn't taken her wand from her. If only she could move just a little she'd be able to reach it. She strained as hard as she could to get her fingers to move…_just a little…farther_…

            Then, ever so slight in the night, she heard a whisper. _Wait…that can't be…_

            And then she had her wand in her hand.

            "Expelliarmus," only it wasn't Lily's voice that said it.

            James caught their wands while Sirius, Remus, Peter, Jackie, and Gwynne all surrounded the girls and proceeded to lock them in the full-body bind. Lily got to her feet, stretching as she stood; being drugged and then locked in a curse for an hour would make anyone have a cramp or two.

            "I knew that bracelet would come in handy," James said as Lily approached him and the others. Gwynne was just finishing putting a silencing spell on the three attackers.

            _The bracelet! Of course, that's how they knew to come…why didn't I remember that?_

            "What are we going to do with them?" Peter asked as the seven gathered around.

            "Report them to Dumbledore of course!" Jackie exclaimed, "They kidnapped Lily and were going to do who knows what to her out here in the middle of the Forbidden Forest."

            "Actually," Lily spoke up, "They were going to do a memory swipe…of my entire memory in the hopes that it would make the rest of your lives miserable. Well, mainly you guys," she spoke to the four boys, "They weren't very fond of you."

            "So, they were going after you, to get at us?" Remus asked her. She nodded.

            "That still doesn't answer what we do about it. Should we really take it to Dumbledore?" Sirius asked, "You guys know that might lead to unnecessary questions…like how it was we got out here." He waved the Marauders' Map to emphasize his meaning.

            "He does have a point," Gwynne added looking around at all of them, and then smiling, "Besides, haven't you ever heard the expression: Practice what you preach?"

!

            The next morning three girls woke up not knowing what had happened the night before. They couldn't remember how they had gotten from the Great Hall to the beds. They weren't conscious of it, of course, but they also couldn't remember they had ever known each other or that they extremely disliked a group of boys in their year.

            And even if they didn't realize it…what goes around, comes around.

A/N: Yeah, so please review!! I promise I will do my best to get the next chapter out ASAP, but I don't think I'll have much time to write until at least fall break…but if not then, look out around Christmas break. I am really going to try and work on this fic as much as possible, but once school gets started, I am going to be BUSY. Anyways, reviews make me feel good, and help me remember you people do like this story…so please fill one out for me. Thanks for forever and a day

Beauty Full


	11. And the Action Isn't Over

            A/n: Well, who would have thought I'd have the next chapter out so soon? And yes, I will be starting the one that comes next ASAP. Cause it's mean to leave you guys with a chapter like this for months and months…lol, anyways, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Same old, same old…

About a week after the midnight escapade to the forest, Jackie found herself back in the girls' secret room, pacing all over the place. _Maybe we were wrong to try and get into something real…we probably should have never even gotten back together. But I love him, I really do! I'm just so scared…we're just fifteen, and this! This is about as close to marriage as we may ever get! Oh, what am I going to do when I see him again…?_ She was obsessing, and she knew it; all she could think about was that little ring sitting in a box under her bed, hidden away from her roommates. Hidden away, just like their relationship…

            Looking back, she regretted their decision to keep it a secret. In the beginning it was because they both thought it was just a fling; and technically, it had been. They had, after all, broken up for summer break. They thought they were finished, but seeing each other again back at Hogwarts had brought up all the old feelings, most of which had never left. For awhile they tried to stay away from each other to ward off the fatal attraction; both thinking they could never have a real relationship together. But then there was that night they had accidentally run into each other in the library. She had gone there after dinner, and he was already there. They sat and talked for hours…ok, maybe they did a little bit more than talked. Nevertheless, they decided to give the whole 'serious relationship thing' a shot, and agreed to keep it a secret from all of their friends because it had worked pretty well the first time around.

            _Plus_, she recalled with a smile, _there is that rush you get when you're doing something sneaky…_

            "What are you smirking about?"

            Jackie nearly broke her wrist; she jumped so high she lost her balance and came crashing down to the carpeted, yet still uncomfortably, hard, floor.

            "Holy snappers, Lily! You scared the shit out of me!" the grey-eyed girl clutched her heart, taking deep, calming breaths.

            "Sorry, sorry," her petite friend standing in the doorway said sincerely, rushing over to help her up, "I thought you heard me come in! I didn't realize you were so caught up in your thoughts…what _were_ you thinking about anyway?"

            As soon as Jackie had gotten back on her feet, she fell right onto the couch behind them with a magnificent,

            "Humpherrahja!"

            "And in English, that would be…?" Lily asked taking a seat beside her.

            "Nothing in particular," Jackie said as nonchalantly as she could. Lily wasn't an idiot though. She knew something was up with her best friend. Knowing a person for five years will do that to you.

            "Come _on_, Jackie, you can't lie to me, and you know it! Are you having some boy trouble?" Lily questioned, putting the last comment out there for no real reason. She knew Jackie wasn't seeing anybody.

            Except then Jackie looked at her in that pitiful way that all girls do when we're having those kinds of troubles and know we need the council of our dearest, closest, bestest friend.

            "In so many words…"

            "Oh my gracious schnazzle!" Lily cried, shocked to high heaven, "Who? When? Where? How? How long? And why on earth didn't you tell me?"

            "I can't really disclose the details, Lils," Jackie said, truly sorry she couldn't tell her, "We agreed we would keep it a secret."

            "It! Are you secretly dating someone?" Lily was now completely aghast.

            "Oh, I am I am!" she yelled out dramatically, "I am, and I am so utterly lost and confused…" Jackie said collapsing the upper portion of her body on Lily's lap, "Please, please don't be mad at me for not telling you. It's just it was going so well as a secret and all…"

            "I'm not mad, Jacs. Shocked, naturally, but never mad," Lily said as the initial shock wore off, "Alright. I understand that you can't tell me the details, but you've got to at least tell me what is making you so horribly depressed. Don't think I haven't noticed your behavior over the past week, missy. Just because I was abducted doesn't mean I didn't see you with that terrible look on your face…there that one!" Jackie looked up to an accusing finger, "Like you just set your rabbit free on the side of the road and watched it get hit by a truck."

            So, with a sigh, Jackie explained about the Christmas present Mr. Anonymous had sent her, and her dilemma as to what to do about it. When she was finished, Lily took awhile to let everything sink in.

            "Well, wow, woah, Mother of Aphrodite! An Ameor ring? That's big commitment there, Jackie; and I know how you are about the whole commitment thing. You've got a bit of what we in the scientific world like to call 'commitmentphobia'. Not an altogether unusual trait, but a very difficult one to cure…" she said as she mulled over how to help her best friend.

            "Don't joke, Lily, even if it is true," Jackie said while Lily gave her a great head scratch. Anyone who has never had a head scratch cannot imagine how relaxing this is; in all truthfulness, they are perfectly heavenly.

            "I know, this is important. All I can say, Jackie, is that you need to talk to this mystery guy about this. You have to tell him you love him, honey. This guy loves you; I mean you just told me he did."

            "Yeah, but what if he doesn't really; or worse, what if I tell him, and it's too late?" Jackie asked her voice revealing just how scared she was.

            "Jackie, sit up and look at me," Lily said pulling her friend up despite the differences in size, "You love him. You have to take a leap of faith. If he's there to catch you, he's the one. And if not, then he's not worth your time. But trust me sweety, he'll be there."

            "And what about the ring? How am I supposed to tell him I can't wear it yet…that I'm not ready for a step that big?"

"You just tell him. I don't think he gave you the ring to wear right away anyways. I think he gave it to you to show you how far he is willing to take this relationship. You don't have to take it that far _now_."

Jackie nodded. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Thanks, Lils. This talk is so what I've been needing."

"Just make me maid-of-honor at the wedding, and I'll be happy," Lily said with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Of course! Who else?" Jackie added with a sarcastic smile, "Well, now that we've spent the last hour discussing my love life…how's yours?"

Lily eyed her friend guiltily. _I can't believe I haven't told her yet, what exactly was it that was stopping me? Oh, wait, I remember now: her strange ability to try and set me up with every boy I've so much as mentioned was pretty cute…_

"Actually, I have my own little love secret," Jackie raised her eyebrows, "Not as big as yours of course, but still…"

"Well, well, just a tad hypocritical, aren't we?" the brunette said jokingly, "Do spill!"

"Ok, you're the only one who I'm telling, at least right now anyways, and whatever you do Jaclyn Morrow, you _cannot_ tell anyone, not even your Mr. Secret, about this, understood?" Lily asked in complete earnest, yet still in a mocking way.

"Aye, aye!" Jackie said and pulled her arm to a solute. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Ok," Lily took a deep breath, "I like James Potter."

There, she had said it, and now she felt a lot better, to be honest.

"Oh my gracious schnazzle!" Jackie then proceeded to hop off the couch and jump up and down.

"JACKIE! Chill girl," Lily screamed. The tall girl stopped her jumping and resumed her seat on the couch.

"Lils! Oh my gosh, why haven't you said anything? I mean, of course, almost everybody saw this one coming a mile away. You two have known each other for forever; you practically live at each others houses during the summer. It's only natural that a little bit of attraction would happen," Jackie surmised. Lily sighed and rolled off the couch onto the floor, grabbing a pillow as she went.

"I don't know why I didn't say anything. I guess it was because I realized it the first night we got back to Hogwarts. You know, there were the tell-tale signs…I hated it whenever he flirted with all the other girls; and I got jealous whenever he got a new girlfriend," Lily shook her head, "You know, I don't even think it was jealousy; it was more like disappointment that she wasn't me. So that's when I admitted it to myself."

"Oh, Lily! This is so romantic; childhood friends falling in love!" Jackie sighed, a delighted smile on her face.

"Don't get ahead of yourself there, Miss Morrow," Lily said sitting up and leaning against a chair that was catty-corner to the couch, "So far this is only an unrequited love. James has made it quite perfectly clear that I am only his best girl friend. That's girl friend with a space in the middle," she clarified at the look on Jackie's face, "I don't plan on telling him any time soon, if I even tell him at all. For all I know this could just be a passing crush."

"Alright, alright. I can see you're not going to press a relationship here," Jackie conceded, "And that's probably a good idea. But remember, Lils, it's only a good idea when you're just crushing. The moment, and I mean the very _second_, if such a second comes, that you realize it's more than a crush…_that_ is when a confrontation is in order."

"Right, if that moment comes. I really just think it's a phase…you know the one. Where when you haven't had a boyfriend in so long _anybody_ is looking like a good choice," Lily said, shrugging off the feeling that she might be lying to herself.

"Anyways, enough of the serious talk! Go on girl; tell about all the sex fantasies!"

!

Apparently misery isn't the only emotion that loves company. A week after Lily and Jackie's rather revealing conversation, another event happened that set the trauma-meter off the charts.

It was a nice, calm, laid-back kind of Friday night that the incident occurred. Jackie, Gwynne, and Lily were all up in the dorm talking and sitting on Gwynne's bed. Technically, because Gwynne's bed was by the window, Lily and Gwynne were sitting on it, and Jackie was sitting on the window seat.

"Now, Gwynne, I do believe this is the first time you have been severed from Sirius since you two got together," Jackie said with a smirk.

"It is not," she replied indignantly.

"Well, it's at least the first time we've been able to talk to you without him nearby," Lily put in, "So now is the time you tell us _everything_."

Gwynne rolled her eyes at the eager way in which her friends looked at her.

"Very well. What do you mean by everything?" she asked.

"You know," Jackie pried, "How far have you two gone? What are some of the cute things he does? The traditional gushiness a girl says about her boyfriend."

"Uh…alright," Gwynne said hesitantly, "Well, we've only kissed so far…"

"What kind of kissing?" Lily interrupted, "Any frenching?"

"Maybe a little," the shy girl said with a blush, "Ok, maybe a lot."

This comment sent the whole group into a burst of giggles.

"So how was he?" Lily asked.

"Well, not that I have anyone to compare him to, but I'd say he's pretty good," Gwynne answered.

"Aw, Gwynne! Our little baby's growing up, Lils!" Jackie mocked.

"There was something I've wanted to ask you guys about," Gwynne said with a more collected air.

"What is it?" Lily asked.

"Sirius hasn't ever…"Gwynne paused, trying to find the right euphemism, "you know…"

"Oh, has he ever gotten laid?" Jackie put oh-so-eloquently.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I know we're kind of young, but he does have that sort of play-boy aura going for him," she stated rather uncomfortably.

"You'll be happy to know, Gwynne darling," Lily said, "That our Sirius is still a virgin, no matter how experienced he may act."

"Yes, but just a word of caution," Jackie added, "Just because he hasn't gone all the way, doesn't mean he hasn't crossed a lot of turf on the way there."

"Like, how much turf?" Gwynne asked a little nervously. Jackie and Lily exchanged looks that agreed not to tell her the whole truth.

"Don't worry Gwynne;" Lily said rubbing the girl's back, "As far as Sirius may have gone with previous girls, doesn't mean he'll be expecting to get there with you any time soon, I'm sure."

"Yeah, he wouldn't push you into anything you aren't ready for," Jackie added and then declared, "And that is the last good thing I'm going to say about him tonight!"

"What is up with you and Sirius," Gwynne asked her, "You're like friends, but not…or something…"

"Ah, there are so many answers to that question," Jackie said whimsically, "And yet, none of them are right. Actually, I just have no idea. It must be admitted that we were rather forced together by our friends; otherwise I don't think we would have met at all. I guess there's just something about him that rubs me the wrong way and vice versa."

"What Jackie is trying to say," Lily decided to put in, "Is that they like bickering too much to show everyone what good friends they can be."

"Well, that's just weird," Gwynne said very confused about the whole matter.

"Tell me about it!" Lily said exasperated, "You've only just met the two of them this year. Try having to deal with it for five!"

"Since we're on the topic, where is Sirius tonight?" Jackie asked. Considering he was Gwynne's boyfriend, she decided to answer.

"I don't know, exactly. He said he and the guys had a project to do, or something of the sort. That's why I was up here, instead of in the common room when you guys were looking for me. After Peter, James, and Sirius left the common room there really wasn't much else to do."

"Now, what can those boys be up to…?" Lily asked more of herself than anyone else.

"Who knows," Gwynne answered, "But what I really want to know is what's up with Remus. I haven't seen him since the end of classes, and even then he wasn't looking very good."

Here Lily and Jackie sent another look at each other. Gwynne still hadn't been informed of Remus's lycanthropy. They had assumed Remus had given Sirius the ok to tell her, as they were dating, but from that statement, they surmised she was utterly clueless.

Lily slight shook her head to show they wouldn't tell her. After all, it was Remus's secret to tell, not theirs.

"Yeah, he was looking a little under the weather," Jackie admitted after that silent conference, "He probably went to the hospital wing." A statement that wasn't altogether untrue.

"Well, I hope he's feeling better soon. Don't you think it's awful to get sick on the weekend?" Gwynne asked. She had been oblivious to Lily and Jackie's looks and had apparently bought their ignorance.

"What time is it?" Lily asked in the middle of a rather large yawn. Gwynne glanced to her bedside table where a clock sat.

"Geez! It's already two o'clock!" she said hardly believing her eyes.

They had spent the whole night talking without even realizing it. They hadn't even noticed when their dorm mates had come in and gone to sleep. And asleep they surely were, for now they could hear the snoring and shifting of sleeping bodies.

"Wow, look at that moon, I had forgotten it was full tonight," Gwynne said noticing the beautiful orb when she glanced out the window. At that comment, Jackie casually looked out the window…

And saw something she hoped she'd never see again.

A/n: Dun, dun dun!!!! Yes! I still have some great cliffhangers in me after all!!! And can you believe it, I got this chapter out in…like two days! I am so proud of myself. And now I am going to thank all my lovely reviewers! Please keep reviewing, cause you guys really keep me writing.


	12. Secrets I

A/N: Well, that only took forever…I have no idea when the next chapter will be out, so if you truly like the story, savor this morsel…

Disclaimer: yeah, I've got nothing…

Soft moonlight filtered down through the cloudless sky, casting silvery shadows over the grass covered slopes of the Hogwarts grounds. The stars shone out in all their glory; the lake reflected the wonder of the heavens above. It was, to say the least, a glorious sight.

However, beautiful though the night was, the scene unfolding below was decidedly undeserved of its surroundings. Down on the sprawling grounds, a hundred feet or more below the castle window, a werewolf was wrestling with a large, black dog in a not entirely friendly way, headed towards the Whomping Willow. Jackie had looked just in time to also see a boy looking suspiciously like James Potter push someone who she couldn't make out back towards the castle entrance.

Her heart flew to her throat; she couldn't breath. A torrent of thoughts flew through her mind, all jumbled together without order or constraint.

"NO!"

The other two girls on the bed looked over to her, and on seeing her distressed face, quickly got up and stood behind her at the window. They were in time to see the willow freeze while the dog and werewolf, still tumbling together in what was becoming a bloody brawl, entered.

"Is that a…?" Gwynne started but found she could not finish the question.

"Werewolf," Lily said shortly but lowering her voice to a whisper, "Jackie, how did he get out?"

"He? Who is he?" the very confused brunette asked.

"Lils, I just saw somebody who looked a lot like James pushing someone into the castle, away from the werewolf, and then that dog…" Jackie said paying little mind to Gwynne's questions as her own mind was in a muddle of dazed questions.

"James? Was he alright? Was Sirius or Peter with him?" Lily asked Jackie who had now turned to look at the other two.

"No…well, I don't know," Jackie replied, "He was with someone, but I couldn't see who it was."

"You guys! Who was the werewolf and why would James, Sirius, or Peter be out there where it is? What is going on?" Gwynne bombarded them in a harsh whisper, she knowing even less than the other two girls of the occurrences of the full moon. Jackie and Lily shared a look; finally Lily decided to answer.

"Remus."

"What?"

"Remus is the werewolf," she said very quietly. Their dorm mates were hopefully all asleep, but one could never be too careful with Remus's condition.

"Wha…uh…oh…" Gwynne seemed too shock to fully comprehend, and she merely sat back down on her bed.

"We didn't want to tell you before because it was his secret to tell. You fully had a right to know, though, being one of his close friends and his best friend's girlfriend," Jackie added. All Gwynne could do was nod.

"Oh Gwynne, I know this is a lot to take in one night," Lily said sitting beside the flabbergasted girl, "It took Jackie and I a few weeks to get used to it. What you must remember, is that Remus is still Remus no matter what he turns into once a month."

"Yeah," Jackie added with a shrug of her shoulders, "It's no different than us, really; only he turns into what we act like." A small smile escaped Gwynne's lips at that.

"It's alright. I'll just need some time to adjust," she assured the other two though she was not sure she had even convinced herself, "But you two don't know why James was out there? Or what that dog was doing with Remus?"

"We have no idea," Jackie concurred, "Actually, I don't even know if that was really James out there. He was practically in the shadows, plus a hundred feet down."

"Well, that's an easy mystery to solve," Lily said, "I'll just go look in the boys' dorm and see who's in there. I'll be right back." And with that she quickly left the room.

"I can't believe this," Gwynne stated still in a state that could only be described as shock.

"It is a little overwhelming at first," Jackie agreed.

"I don't understand why Sirius didn't tell me…why Remus didn't tell me," she asked aloud with the slightest tremor of hurt in her voice.

"Don't get too upset about it Gwynne; I'm sure the boys just hadn't gotten around to discussing it. In fact, they probably have forgotten that you don't know about Remus's situation they're so used to all of us knowing," Jackie reassured the brunette.

"Yes, I suppose."

They sat in silence until Lily returned.

"Not one of those idiots is in there," she announced on her return.

"All of them are gone?" Jackie asked incredulously.

"Now I really want to know what is going on," Gwynne added.

"Yes, and the only way we'll ever be able to find that out is by asking the guys; now we can either go to sleep and wait until breakfast…" Lily began.

"No way, I have to know what is going on right now," Jackie said resolute.

"Or, we can go down to the common room and wait for them to come back…no matter if we have to stay up the whole night," she finished, "I vote we go to the common room."

"Me too," Jackie stated. They both looked at Gwynne.

"Uh, sure, right…to the common room."

* * *

On entering the Gryffindor common room, James expected to see a dying fire surrounded by the empty, plush chairs that made up the room's décor. What he and his two none-werewolf friends found, however, was three sleeping girls piled onto the couch closest to the fire, wrapped up in one of the comforters from their dorm.

He approached the red-head; partly because she was closest to him, and partly because she was probably the least likely to injure him in the process of being awoken at three in the morning. When he reached her, he gently shook her shoulder. Almost immediately her eyes fluttered open, and a moment later she was able to focus on who was in front of her.

"James!"

"Shh…" he said indicating the other two girls.

"You three have some explaining to do," she said eyeing him and Sirius and Peter who had just come around and planted themselves on the two chairs across from the sofa. Then she turned to Jackie who was asleep practically on top of her.

"Jackie…Jackie…" Lily rolled her eyes and then repeated in an even harsher whisper, "JACKIE!"

"What? What? What?" Jackie popped up looking around. Then spotting the boys, although still not fully awake, "Oh, Gwynne, Gwynne, they're back."

It took about half a minute for Gwynne to be focused completely on what was going on around her.

"Why are you three asleep on a couch in the common room?" James asked. He looked solemn; more so than Gwynne and Jackie had ever seen him, and Lily had only seen him so once or twice. Then they saw Sirius; he looked neither happy nor sad, nor anything really. His face was wholly void of any sort of emotion. He did not look much like Sirius at all.

"Don't change the subject," Lily accused, "What has been going on?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's been going on," Peter tried to cover. Their situation, however, was too suspicious to be lied out of.

"Don't even try any bullshit," Jackie took up the harangue, "All we were trying to do was have a simple girls' night. Just trying to admire the full moon and the stars, and what do we see out the window?"

"A werewolf, a dog, and James Potter," Gwynne finished.

"Now," Lily said slowly and firmly, "Explain yourselves."

At any other time and in any other situation, that tone of voice from Lily Evans would have meant murder if one disobeyed; but this was not another time or situation.

"Lily," James pleaded, and that was when she saw the overwhelming exhaustion in his eyes, "We will tell you girls all about this, but it will have to wait until morning."

What was a girl in love to do when he ordered her around like that?

"Fine," she said still commandingly, but slightly softened, "Meet us down here when you wake up. Gwynne, is it all right if we use 'The Room'?"

A nod from Gwynne was all the boys needed, though they had no idea what 'The Room' meant, to head on up to their dorm.

"I suppose we'll just have to wait a few more hours," Gwynne said complacently.

Jackie sighed, "So much for a relaxing weekend."

* * *

Morning couldn't come fast enough for Lily, Gwynne, and Jackie. At eight the three were all assembled on the same couch they had been on the night before, anticipating the arrival of their male counterparts. The boys, though, seemed to be taking their sweet time waking up. It was close to nine thirty before the girls heard them making their way down the steps that led up to the boys' dormitories. By the time they reached the last step the girls were already up, making their way towards them through the practically empty common room as most people had already gone to breakfast by that time.

Lily took a good look at the boys' faces before her; it was immediately evident that they had gotten little sleep, and if she wasn't mistaken, none of them was looking forward to the soiree they were about to go to.

"Follow us, then," she said and the six left the common room together. When they were out in the hallway the girls directly took a right, heading in the direction of their Room.

"Sirius," Gwynne spoke up, she had been walking beside them since they met up in the common room, "What happened to your arm?"

Lily looked back and was rather surprised to notice a deep gash on his right forearm. She met Jackie's eyes and saw she had not noticed either. James and Peter, on the other hand, didn't even glance at their friend after Gwynne's comment.

"I'll explain when we get there," Sirius stated tiredly in a most un-Sirius-like way.

It only took a few more minutes to get to the painting that concealed the girls' secret getaway, but it felt like hours had passed before they reached it. Jackie whispered the password to the painting; just because they were bringing the boys here now did not mean they were welcome all the time.

Once inside Lily instantly took a seat on the big armchair that was catty-corner to the fluffy couch on which Gwynne and Jackie sat. They left the boys a place to stand in front of them.

"So, now that we're finally here," Lily began, "Explain."

Sirius and Peter looked at James who sighed and then began their story.

"Alright. I assume you two informed Gwynne on Remus's condition?"

After receiving a nod, he continued.

"When Remus first told us in second year that he was a werewolf, we were pretty shocked, but after the initial shock wore off we realized we had to find a way to help him. He was and is one of our best friends. Of course, what could we really do? A werewolf bite is irreversible," he paused for a moment; "Sirius and I searched the library for weeks, and found nothing. But then, one day when we were paying attention in McGonagall's class for a change, we heard the perfect solution to our problem. It might not cure Remus's lycanthropy, but it would certainly make the full moon a better experience each month."

While James spoke, Lily wracked her brain for what he could have possible heard in Transfiguration that would help Remus during the full moon; Potions she might understand, even Charms, but Transfiguration? Unless…

"Werewolves' bites only affect humans; if we joined Remus as animals, he couldn't cause us any harm…"

"Wait a minute," Jackie interrupted, "You aren't saying what I think you're saying, are you?"

James let out yet another sigh, "We're animagi."

Lily blinked slowly. This was truly unbelievable. She was so stunned she could hardly breathe, let alone speak, but that was quickly turning into another, much less tongue-tying feeling.

"Do you mean that you three have been sneaking out on the grounds, transfiguring yourselves into animals, and then running around with Remus in his werewolf state?" she asked just to clarify.

"Yes."

"And when, exactly, were going to feel it necessary to tell _us_ about these little escapades?" if she wasn't careful, her anger was going to get the better of her, "Or did you think we did not need to know? Are we not important enough to be let in on your little secrets? And do you even realize how dangerous and illegal all this is?"

She would have kept going only James broke in.

"Lily! Calm down. We were going to tell you three, I swear," he added at the skeptical look in her eyes, "We just didn't want you to worry or try to talk us out of it. This year is the first year we've even been able to do it."

"But this doesn't explain what happened last night," Jackie started, "I only saw one other animal out there besides Remus; and what were you doing James? You definitely weren't transfigured."

At this statement James's entire face darkened. Lily, let alone the other two girls, had never seen him look so angry.

"Sirius," he said the name as an accusation, "can explain last night to you."

The girls turned expectantly towards him. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a breath.

"A few weeks ago, we had an encounter with Snape in the hallway. Earlier that day, James had given me a slip of paper reminding me when the next full moon was. Snape was being himself saying something about you, Lily, and basically trying to get us riled up. I thought he deserved a punishment of some sort, so I purposely dropped the note so he would find it."

"Was that you, then?" Gwynne asked, "You were the dog, and that's where the gash on your arm came from?"

He nodded.

"That's why James wasn't in his animagus form; he was trying to get Snape away," he explained.

"But Snape didn't see anything…did he?" Lily asked.

James decided to answer.

"He didn't see me change back into a human; but he did see Remus, and he's not stupid, he put two and two together," James continued, "When we got back inside the castle I tried to tell him he was seeing things, but he had gotten a good enough look to know that it was a werewolf out there. I spent awhile trying to keep him there; I knew if he went back to Slytherin he would tell every soul he knew about it. After about thirty minutes, I was running out of ways to detain him when Dumbledore appeared."

"Does Dumbledore know then, about your being animagi?" Jackie asked.

"He took them back up to his office," Peter cut in, "Sirius and I were able to get Remus back in the Shrieking Shack and get ourselves back into the castle after they had already gone. We saw them on the map; so we decided to wait until James was able to get out of the office before heading back up to the dormitory."

"Snape told Dumbledore about the note and about seeing Remus," James finished up the story, "I said Sirius told me when we were going to sleep about how he had let Snape get the note, and then I said I had hurried down as fast as I could to stop Snape from getting into the Willow. When Dumbledore finally let me go, I met Peter and Sirius and we went back up to the dorms. I imagine Dumbledore's going to be calling for you today, Sirius."

Sirius nodded his agreement. The girls didn't know quite what to say.

Lily could hardly believe Sirius could do such a thing, even if it was Snape, but then, Sirius did a lot of things without thinking of the consequences. Most likely, dropping the note had been a spur of the moment decision; no doubt he had not stopped to consider that by doing so he was endangering Snape's life. That's not say of course, that he was blameless either. It was certain he deserved a just punishment. Sometimes, Sirius just needed to know when to grow up.

"We'd better go down to breakfast, that's probably when Sirius'll get summoned," Peter commented. The others agreed.

"Wait James," Lily said as they all stood and headed toward the entrance, "I want to talk to you."

The other four filed out while Lily and James staid behind. Once they had gone, she turned to face him.

"How could you?"

"How could I what, exactly?" he asked.

"How could you keep all of this from me? This isn't some stupid prank or joke, James; you could have died this year! What if you had? What if you do?" vocalizing her fear made everything seem even more real than it already was. Suddenly she found tears pricking at her eyes. "Oh God, any of you could have, and we wouldn't have known…"

She sank back down on the couch, definite tears spilling out of her eyes now. James moved so quickly, she hadn't realized he was beside her before he was pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, Lils. We promised each other we wouldn't tell you or Jackie, and then Gwynne, until we were able to transfigure without fault. We didn't want you to worry, and obviously we were right that you would, but it would probably have been better if we had told you to begin with." He released her from the friendly, yes friendly, hug as her tears stopped. She was suddenly struck by how warm he was.

"You're damn right."

"Lily, I can't undo what's already been done," he said half exasperated and then added, "If I could, I'd go back and erase all of this." They sat in silence for a moment.

"How did you keep it from me anyways?" she queried. He laughed a little.

"It wasn't easy, I'll assure you."

"You know what we used to say," she said, "'Secrets, secrets are no fun; secrets, secrets hurt everyone.'"

"Did we used to say that?"

"I don't really know," she admitted, "But it's true; and if I ever find out that you've kept any more secrets from me _I_ can assure _you_ that you will be suffering from some serious consequences."

"No more secrets then."

"Yeah, no more secrets…"

* * *

A/n: Yes, Lily is being a tad hypocritical there…anyways, I do know what will be happening in the next chapter, so I'll give you a hint: Sirius and Gwynne, and unfortunately, it might not be pretty…I haven't really decided yet.

Anyways, review! I always enjoy those! And I will do my very best to get the next chapter out as soon as I can find the muse that urges my flanges…so until then, adieu


End file.
